Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narendrapur, has launched relief work in areas ravaged by Cyclone Yaas.

Swami Sarvalokananda, the secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narendrapur, said they could not be a mute spectator to the tragedy and had decided to start relief operations in several blocks of South and North 24-Parganas.

Monks have ventured out to affected areas to distribute cooked food and dry rations to those who have lost their livelihood.

Monks and local volunteers have split into groups and are touring the affected areas.

Swami Pravarananda, who is associated with Ramakrishna Mission Residential College, Narendrapur, said they were distributing khichdi and packets containing puffed rice, milk powder and molasses in Najat and Kalinagar blocks in Sandeshkhali, in North 24-Parganas.

Khichdi is being cooked at a community kitchen in the area.

“Residents of inundated places are coming with containers to collect cooked food. In some cases, our volunteers are transporting cooked food to storm-hit areas on motor-fitted vans,” said Swami Pravarananda.

Another group led by Swami Nirajananda - of Ramakrishna Mission Lokasiksha Parishad, an integrated rural and urban development unit of RKM Narendrapur — is running four community kitchens to feed the poor and destitute in the Mathurapur block of South 24-Parganas.

Hundreds of people in the area are being given meals of rice, pulse, and soybeans.

One of the volunteers said river water was still entering villages during high tide as embankments had breached under the impact of the cyclone.

“It is impossible for these people to cook anything in their houses. Besides, there is the issue of hygiene. So we have opened community kitchens,” said Subrata

Bhattacharya, who is associated with Jan Shikshan Sansthan, a unit of RKM Narendrapur.

Before starting the community kitchen, the mission authorities carried out a survey on May 28 with the help of its branches to assess the loss. “Those who have been affected by the cyclone will be provided relief as much as possible,’’ said Swami Sarvalokananda.