Telangana: Judges in Khammam are serving the needy during lockdown

HYDERABAD: Thanks to the coronavirus crisis, judges are coming out of their chambers and looking at the kind of lives the less fortunate sections of our society are leading. Following a call given by Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan, scores of judges from the district judiciary, particularly from the district legal services authorities (DLSAs) are actively involving themselves in the relief operations and assisting the poor and the stranded migrants during the ongoing lockdown period.
In Khammam, DLSA secretary and senior civil judge Vinod Kumar came across the problem being faced by 250 Thalassemia-hit children who need a regular blood transfusion. Sankalpa, an NGO has been helping them all these years by collecting blood and giving it to them. After Covid-19 fear crept in and a nationwide lockdown was declared, donors stopped coming forward to the blood camps. Vinod then organized a blood donation camp in the court premises itself and scores of judicial employees, advocates, and policemen themselves came and donated blood for the cause. That saved the children for now.
Annam Foundation being run by paralegal volunteer Dr Annam Srinivas Rao has been feeding 350 abandoned children every day for the last four weeks. When he came across 22 aids infected children abandoned by their parents and knew that the NGO Happy Home that has been taking care of them ran short of rice and groceries, Vinod spoke to the Khammam Principal District Judge M Lakshman, district officials and donors and arranged groceries and rice sufficient for two months.
DLSA advocate Ramalakshmi has been giving food to the nearly 150 migrant workers sheltered at a shaadikhana in Khammam. She was giving Wheat flour to some north Indian workers because they are unable to stay put with rice. She was getting curries prepared at her home and supplying to them. She also organized four stoves and cylinders and utensils for the workers to make Chapathis for themselves.
Similarly, after coming across the heartrending story of 47 mentally retarded children at Mother Theressa orphanage in Illendu of Khammam district, Vinod moved the donors and ensured food, medicines, and medical help too to the children. Scores of such stories are now coming to the fore where DLSAs have been playing an active role in assisting the district administration and mobilizing donors.