CSI Coimbatore Diocese Covid-19

Church of South India -Coimbatore Diocese

Coronavirus (COVID-19) relief measures

  

Church of South India, Coimbatore Diocesan Bishop Rt. Rev. Timothy Ravinder directs the Churches and Institutions under his jurisdiction to act swiftly to provide relief materials and volunteer their service to the society. In his address to Press conference on 18th March 2020, he instructed the Presbyters, the Lay leaders and Heads of Institutions to comply with the directions of the Government and to carry out the required parameters to contain the virus in the Diocesan Educational Institutions and Churches. The officers of the Diocese and the Church leaders came forward to reach out to the migrant workers working in the industries, textile mills and tea estates including the poor, unnoticed, and to those who have no shelter by providing food and other basic necessities like mask, sanitizer by risking their lives amidst the spread of this deadly virus.

In coordination with guidance and requisition of Hon’ble Coimbatore District Collector, Mr. K. Rajamani, Hon’ble Namakkal District Collector, Mr. Megraj, Erode Corporation Commissioner Dr. M. Elangovan, Local Administration Thasildar’s and Local Police authorities. In the presence of Hon’ble Minister for Environment and Pollution Control Department Thiru. K. C. Karuppannan at Kovundapadi we distributed relief materials to migrant workers.

On behalf of Coimbatore Diocese, in Coimbatore we were able to provide

• 20,000 food packets distributed and continue to provide the same for the migrants and needy.
• Sanitizers & masks to front-line workers
• Groceries and vegetables for more than 750 families
• Shelter to 225 people at CSI Immanuel Church, Parish Hall, Coimbatore as instructed by the District Collector
• Provided food packets to 30 families of Irular, an indigenous community at the insistence of Bishop Timothy Ravinder.

The Churches that constructively participated in the relief work in Coimbatore area: CSI Christ Church Sundarapuram who were the first to initiate (CSI Christ Church, Madukkarai, CSI Christ Church, Kovaipudur, CSI Malumichampatti Pastorate, CSI Christ Church, Trichy Road, and CSI Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Coimbatore) contributed each day, CSI Immanuel Church, CSI All Souls Church, CSI Christ Church Perur, CSI Christ Church NGGO Colony and CSI Yesu Ratcharkar Alayam.

The Nilgiris Districts

• Vegetables for more than 120 families in and around Gudalur
• Provided food packets for more than 500 people
• Groceries and vegetables for more than 70 families at Puramavayal, Gudalur
• Sanitizer and face mask to Police personnel and other front-line workers
• CSI College of Engineering, Ketti - NCC cadets assisted the civil administration in the Nilgiris District.

The Churches and Institution which constructively participated in the relief work in The Nilgiris, CSI St. Luke’s Church Kotagiri, CSI St. John’s Church, Gudalur and CSI College of Engineering, Ketti.

Since Erode District has been identified and alerted early for the outbreak of Covid-19 we could not provide food packets to the people in the streets and migrants yet we were able to help.

• Contributed Rupees 25,000/- to the Erode Corporation Commissioner
• Distributed 175 Rice bags of 10 kilogram each for the migrant workers at Kovundapadi in the presence of Hon’ble Minister for Environment and Pollution Control Department Thiru. K. C. Karuppannan
• Distributed 160 Rice bags of 5 kilogram each for daily wages
• Groceries and vegetables for more than 330 families
• In the interior villages even the Pastors distributed food packets to the deserving people who were starving.

The Churches that constructively participated in the relief work in Erode area: CSI Brough Memorial Church, CSI Brough Nagar- Thingalur Pastorate, CSI Sivagiri Pastorate, CSI Popley Church Surampatti, CSI Kavundapadi Church, CSI Slater Memorial Church, CSI Jambai Pastorate, CSI Christ Church Bhavani, CSI Good Shepherd Church, Aval Poondurai.

In Salem District

• More than 46 transgenders were provided with rice, groceries and vegetables under the instruction of Namakkal Collector, Mr. Megraj I.A.S
• Provided food packets to 30 families of Narikkuṟava, an indigenous community at the insistence of Tiruchengode DSP Mr. Ara. Arularasu I.P.S
• Sanitizers and face masks were provided to Police personnel and other front-line workers
• Provided food packets to 500 needy people.

The Churches that constructively participated in the relief work in Salem area: CSI Lechler Memorial Church, CSI Christ Church, Tiruchengode, CSI Good Shepherd Church, Mettur Dam, CSI Zion Church, Marandahalli.

Diocesan Board of Mission (DBM) missionaries also participated in the relief work at the Mission Fields: Co-operative colony, Sundakamuthur, Coimbatore District and Kolli Hills, Salem Area. We thank Rev. David Suresh for his service and encouragement.

Bishop and officers of the Diocese thank and appreciate the initiatives taken by the Presbyters and lay leaders of the Diocese.

Copy this link to view pictures: 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wn9ehbd7w7H_0sJyh8n8aJ6UtU_kS37H

Compiled & Reported by: Rev. Bartholomew Segan Palk, CSI Coimbatore Diocese