Members of ORRCA, an organisation of 23 IT firms in city, decide to spend their weekends helping flood-affected villages bounce back

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa raised over Rs 500 crore in just two days of his padyatra to help victims of the Karnataka floods. The state's IT companies are unlikely to contribute that hugely to the relief efforts, but they're surely doing their bit.

Members of the Outer Ring Road Companies' Association, a network of 23 IT companies in Bangalore, who visited the flood hit villages last weekend, have decided to help out villagers on weekends till they return to normalcy.

"The villagers have been badly affected. We were shocked to see them in such a bad condition," said S Vishwanath, manager, AOL. "We spent last weekend with them and have decided to continue helping the villages we select for a few months."

Adopting families

About 10 members who visited Gulagunchi, a village 475 km from Bangalore last weekend, will continue to carry out the relief measures. "The village has been reduced to nothing," said Vishwanath. "It will require at least four months to come back to normalcy. We will give up our long weekends and work for them."

The techies also distributed provisions like rice, sugar, refined oil, rava and milk powder, to every household in Gulagunchi. They also plan to adopt families in at least four other villages, including Iyanoor, Chintamaranadodi and Gonwara.

The team plans to rope in other techies from Bangalore to help them. All the details will be ironed out
on Thursday when representatives of the 23 companies meet to decide their plan of action.

"Several people have come forward to work as volunteers. However, a clear picture will be available after our meeting on Thursday," said Vishwanath.

Added Sudarshan HS, a Symphony Services employee, who went to Gulagunchi last week, "We had gone to the village only to distribute the provision. But looking at the pathetic condition of the villagers, we decided more needed to be done."

You can help
Your contributions can be made in the form of cheques or demand drafts drawn in favour of the 'Calamity Relief Fund Karnataka' at all the BangaloreOne centres. The state has also started an information portal www.karnataka.gov.in/floodrelief2009 that provides updates on the relief and rehabilitation works that are being carried out at the flood hit areas.u00a0

250 (approx) people killed in the floods in Andhra Pradesh and North Karnataka