Aathira Haridas By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : On Tuesday, when the water level started rising in Payamba in Kollam, the members of AT Rovers, an off-roading club in the city, rushed to the spot. While the evacuation process was in progress, a few families refused to cooperate. The rescue mission was being carried out along with the Fire and Rescue Services. It was only when the water level started rising sharply that they chose to move. Later, to rescue the families, the department had to deploy a raft. "A few families were not willing to move to the camp. While we could have rescued them with our vehicle, with them choosing to move out only after the water level rose, the rescue could be attempted only using the raft," says Abraham George Tharakan, founder of AT Rovers. As many as 29 families were evacuated from Payamba to a camp.Last year, when the flood hit the state, the off-roaders in the city rushed with their vehicles to aid in the rescue mission. This year too, they have teamed up for the rescue and relief mission. As many as 36 members of AT Rovers are involved in the rescue efforts with a total of 24 vehicles being deployed. "Just like last year, we have deployed our vehicles and are helping out in the rescue mission. It is just our bit in helping out people and all expenses including the fuel are being borne by us," says Abraham. Even when two of their vehicles that were used in the last floods lie around for repair works, the group has only escalated their rescue efforts. AT Rovers has been empanelled as the emergency response team under the Fire and Rescue Services Department. "As off-roaders, our strength is that our vehicles can go anywhere. There is a strong community of off-roaders in the state. If they are all roped in and given proper training, we can be a strong emergency response team," says Abraham. The Trivandrum Jeepers Club has also deployed three of their four-wheel-drive vehicles for the rescue mission. They have also opened a relief material collection centre in the city. "We are concentrating on the tribal hamlets. Kits necessary for a family are being prepared and these will be transported to tribal hamlets that are isolated. The beneficiaries are being identified by the Mahila Samakhya," says Ramesh Pillai, president of the club. Bikers The biker community Royal Riders Kerala has also started sending relief materials to affected regions. "We have rode to most of the affected areas. We owe it to the people and the place there," says Kiran S Vijay, one of the founding members of the group.

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