Following the 2015 floods, Greater Chennai Corporation has been rolling out the red carpet to individuals, residents’ welfare associations and voluntary organisations that come forward to sign up for volunteering with the civic body during natural calamities, especially floods.
Individuals and residents’ welfare associations can enrol themselves as volunteers registering online on the civic body’s website(www.chennai.corporation.gov.in) or with the respective zonal offices.
They have to fill a form providing personal details, including name, age, sex, permanent address with pincode, email ID, phone numbers, both landline and mobile numbers. The volunteers should also provide their Aadhar number and bank account number.
The volunteer should have studied at least up to Class Seven — but young adolescents, which include school students, can’t sign up for volunteering work. They should also provide proof of their educational qualification separately. In addition, they should provide a medical fitness certificate. A copy of the certificate should be attached with the application form.
Experience counts
As volunteering service is mainly related to rescue and relief operations in Chennai and its outskirts, the civic body prefers retired defence personnel, home guards, and those experienced in community services and also those who are good at swimming. Volunteers with these qualities will be more valuable as they either have prior experience in such relief operations or have the ability to meet to meet the demands of such operations. And, these volunteers don’t need routine training in relief and rescue operations. They will be enrolled immediately.
Volunteers should also inform whether they have participated in the 2015 flood relief work. If so, they have to share their contribution and experience in a few sentences.
Volunteers should also specify the respective zones (or any place in the city) where they can join civic officials in relief operations during an emergency. They will be deployed in the area of their choice for relief work depending upon the availability of manpower there. They should also share their previous experience in relief work elsewhere, if any.
When it comes to NGOs and Residents Welfare Associations, besides providing many of the afore-mentioned details, they have to inform the civic body about the total number of persons representing their association as volunteers.
Once registered, individuals and associations will get an acknowledgement with a register number in their mobile phone.
Thereafter, their names will be linked to the respective zonal offices of the civic body. During emergencies, services of these volunteer will be used by the Corporation based on the requirement.
More importantly, the services of the residents will be voluntary in nature and no identity cards or any other proof for their services including certificates will be provided to them.
One of the key roles by residents during natural calamities will be to assist the civic workers in rescue and relief operations especially at relief camps organised by the Corporation in the city.
All details of the volunteers will be at zonal offices of the civic body during emergencies to coordinate relief operations.