With sessions of new classes starting online, residents of New Town are passing on old text books to help out neighbours’ children. And a team of volunteers from among them is co-ordinating the redistribution.
It all started on April 17 with Sayantan Das, director of Highland Woods Birch Hazel Residents’ Association, putting out an appeal on a social media platform of Action Area 2 residents seeking a Class XI ICSE biology text book for his neighbour’s daughter. “My neighbour was asking me where she could buy the book from. It struck me that with the lockdown on, it would be easier to source a second-hand book. In less than 10 minutes of putting out the post, I got a response from Bijoy Dash who stays in our next-door complex Akankha. So I could simply walk over and get the book,” said Das.
Books collected from residents piled at her home Sourced by the Telegraph
The online exchange between the two caught the attention of others and soon a volunteer group was formed under the residents’ body New Town Forum & News.
“We asked around in our personal circles for old books. The response was very good. Someone even came all the way from Baguiati to make the donation. When I asked how he would come, he said he was on the move, being with a pharmaceutical company, and wanted to be part of our effort,” said Chaitali Srivastava, who is co-ordinating the drive.
So far, about 12 sets of books have changed hands, some subject-specific and some an entire set for the school year. “Either the parents are picking up themselves or I am driving over. Even now, I have close to 100 books of various classes piled in my house,” smiled Srivastava, a resident of Greenfield Heights who runs a playschool and daycare centre.
Lona Ghoshal of CE Block was one of the residents who received books. “My daughter Shayna Banerjee is in Class II of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Since their results had not yet been declared when the lockdown was announced she did not get new books. I needed computer, English grammar and Hindi books as I want to start with the Class II syllabus at home. I posted my requirement on Saturday and by Sunday I had the books in hand.”
Another, though a much smaller hurdle, is getting hold of exercise books. “That is another issue parents are facing. But that is unlikely to get sorted till the stationery shops are allowed to open,” said Das.
saltlake@abpmail.com