Bengaluru, Apr 4: As calamity struck the nation in the form of coronavirus, many philanthropists have generously opened their wallets to sustain the urban poor, especially the migrant labourers in the city and elsewhere in Karnataka.
These individuals either directly or through organisations opened up their kitchens to ensure that no one goes to bed hungry in this distressing time.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, the nodal agency to feed urban poor, responded positively to requests by these organisations and individuals to supply food to the needy on their behalf.
"We had been serving food through our Indira canteens, which we continue to do even now. However, many philanthropists and corporates have come forward to feed the needy," the BBMP joint commissioner Sarfaraz Khan told reporters.
According to BBMP, Indira canteens used to provide two lakh meals a day on normal occasions.
However, since the lockdown has been clamped, the number swelled by almost 50 per cent.
"On Thursday alone, we served 2.85 lakh food, which comprises breakfast, lunch and breakfast," a Palike officer said.
The major aid came from Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO) and Azim Premji Foundation.
While JITO is feeding around 22,000 people, Azim Premji Foundation is taking care of 20,000 people.
Sajjanraj Mehta, an office bearer of JITO, told reporters that his organisation has been providing packaged cooked food since March 27.
"We got in touch with Bengaluru Mayor M Gautham Kumar, Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao and the BBMP commissioner B H Anil Kumar. According to their list, 27,000 food packets were required daily," Mehta told.
The JITO members have arranged vehicles of their respective businesses to transport food packets to different locations as part of the campaign named as 'COVID-19 manav seva'.
The organisation has also decided to utilise the kitchen of Princess Golf, a marriage hall on Palace Grounds here to prepare food.
Palike officials said on Thursday alone JITO supplied 53,000 meals.
"We asked them to cover migrant labourers in those areas where Indira Canteen could not reach. We mapped the cluster and provided them info. Now, they are distributing it there," they said.
Another organisation engaged in charitable work is ISKCON Bengaluru.
Ever since the lockdown, it has been working in various parts of India providing food to various people.
"We are providing materials such as rice, wheat flour, Daal, oil, vegetables with long shelf life, salt, sugar and spices. Each packet can sustain for at least 21 days," Madhu Pandit Dasa, president of ISKCON Bengaluru.
The organisation has set a target to cover at least two lakh people but so far it has reached out to 30,000 people including 25,000 in Bengaluru alone.
"We are feeding about 50,000 people in Delhi, with the Telangana government we are feeding about 40,000 people in Hyderabad, about 10,000 people in Ahmedabad in association with the Gujarat government," Dasa told.
According to BBMP, other organisations providing food to the needy are KMFY, TVS Group, Vimal Bhandari, Radisson Blue Atria Hotel, Hitech Ecowood, Mohammed Shajid, Prestige Group.
Wipro Ltd also pitched in to feed the poor by opening up its industrial kitchen infrastructure.
In a statement, Global Head- Operations of the company Hariprasad Hegde said the humanitarian crisis we are faced with as part of the Covid-19 crisis has multiple dimensions to it, of which the need to deliver cooked meals to the stranded migrant workers and other vulnerable communities is probably the most critical and immediate one.
Recognising this, Wipro has decided to use the industrial kitchen infrastructure in our facilities to provide cooked meals, he said.
This kicked off on April 2 with the delivery of 43,000 meals from our Bangalore facility in Kodathi to the government.
"We have made use of our own procurement logistics to source the food provisions. This is a collaborative process, with the government taking responsibility for the logistics of last mile delivery to the communities that need it the most,” he said.
In the case of Bangalore, the Karnataka government has come forward to provide this kind of complementary delivery support. We are reaching out to other state governments and local administrations for similar efforts." he said.
Comments
It's a Sunna of prophet when there is lack of rain to pray to Allah. Is there any one in this earth a sky who can bring rain other than allah? A Stones sculpture can barely get rid of a crow sitting on its head , forget about bringing a rain or giving sustainance to this world.
Dear Brother's,
Prakash,Mahesh,Rajeev,Yogesh.We dont blame you people Because its shows your Ignorance.All your Question will be answered one Day.In sha allah.
Try to learn about Islam before you Comment.Later should not say that no one guided you people about Islam.
May almighty allah bless you all and show you all the TRUTH path.So that you can save your self from hell fire.
Mangaluru is Parashurama shristi and not Brahma srishti. Lord parashurama reclaimed this land from sea and blessed this land will be free from drought and natural calamities as long as there would be his believers. So chill , This is May month, don't worry it will start raining at right time, till then let us love and care for all humans and living beings
Only God will give rain. Pray with him. Dear Yogesh, according to you rain will not come without planting tree? Then how come raining heavy in Saudi Arabia these days??? Don't be foolish. Pray with god. Don't depend on forecast. Where were they while Tsunami coming?? Did they informed to humanity about the earth quack and tsunami???
Yogesh/khuswanth or funk,go and marry to donky monkey and crab fool pepole study islam and secure your body from hell.shame on you telling cow is mother .......
Dear Yogesh,
You seem to have little knowledge, just your planting one tree will not save the world. Road developers and Electrical Contractors are cutting so much trees even Lord Indra also can not bring rain to the earth. Just for sake of commenting and Satisfying your itch do not comment. If this prayer do not harm any one and may be if there is a divine blessing what is harm.
O Allah, Shower Upon us Abundant Rain, Beneficial Not Harmful, Swiftly and Not Delayed.
We should go back to God for natures anger....praying Allah is best way to over come problems around...specially water is very essential for human kind if it does not rain, human kind cannot live so pray for him...he is sympathetic and kind...pray as much as you can...he will help overcome problems....
Dear Brothers,
Prakash, Mahesh, rajesh, rajeev, yogesh, kushwant bhat.... we muslim are seeking help from Allah for rain, raining or not raining is his wish..... its our duty to ask help from allah.....you chaddi minded people first change your mentality from sanghi to a human being.... then you will know what is religion and what is islam.
Sins of human being is the main cause for all the clamity human beings face these days. The best way to clear it up is by asking forgiveness from your creator. The people who have studied little bit of science will laugh and mock when people who have little bit of knowledge of his creator ask for forgiveness from him. In 21st century humans have excelled in science, going to space, rockets, tecnology, flying, construction but lost humanity, humility, trustfullness, truthness, spirtual. Its high time to ask forgiveness from Almighty Allah before you return to him. Lot of people won;t beleive in god his angels, his revelation, but they will definately belive in death.
Maintaining the ecological balance is definitely important. And it is important to realize the value of the trees. The cut down of trees happening in the name of development should be looked into closely. The Valencia Jeppu road for example. All the trees were chopped down in the name of creating a double road. We should ask ourself, was it required? That stretch usually doesn't have so much traffic that we had to chop the trees. Let's say for argument sake that this was needed, we still had so much place left to build those additional area required for road. Leaves us with one question, Is this development or destruction?
These brothers are atleast praying to the creator of all things for Rain. This is sensible enough to accept for those who believe in a Lord/God/creator.
But,
What about those who arrange marriages with Donkey, Monkey, Dogs etc.. for Rain.? I think you guyz should try and educate them.
Dear All, specially those mockers OR disbelievers
For instance in Mangalore more than 90% believe in God by their own way,
No doubt, sure these people pray their version of God for their every need. It does not mean every prayer is immediately responded. Praying is our duty and the reply is upto God how he wants to hear it.
Think these Muslims also did their duty leaving the action to the God. Who knows there can be 1true person who is admired by the God to his fullest contentment/ satisfaction.
No Idols
No saints
No animals
No urine
No pictures
No statues...
No MAN made GODs (FAKE GODS)
WE Muslims pray to ALLAH, the lord of the heavens and Earth. ALLAH is the OWNER of this EARTH. it is HE who gives RAIN and it is HE who brings the dead earth to LIFE... similarly our LIFE.
WE muslims Believe in the Unseen world which is around us..and it is explained in the QURAN...
There are many things which QURAN mentions to PONDER. Some people IGNORE what is said in the QURAN..
Whatever said in the QURAN have come TRUE and there are some issues QURAN explained and SCIentist have not come across. which IN-SHAA ALLAH will surely be shown to MANKIND...
ALLAH gives RAIN and it is in his Hands..
Now WE see in DESERT there is water and India is full of GReenery & Rivers still WE see water scarcity.
Recognise your lord ALLAH and dont fall to man made created things... Worship the CREATOR and not his CREATION
The prophets bring truth, when disbelivers done same as above some commentors. This is all timing happening. But these commeators should understand pooling tendor coconut,frog marrige,dog marriage ect.. theses are all the highest level of supersticion. Mr. ur get any message from rain will next week rains????????
Dear Friends, Do not mock people praying to their Lord.
In Islam there is always two level approach, first we have to do the acts using all the resources at hand, including, in this case planting trees, then we have to hope for the best by spiritually connecting to the Lord. You and I cannot bring rain, this is hard truth. if anyone says that I have control over the rain, then he has to be a foolish. Rain, growth of plants and bearing fruits that we eat, are beyond human scope. What we can best do is that we can do the work using all the modern technology and knowledge and connect to the Lord of the World to make it happen. If only rely on the technology and knowledge, then there should not be drought anywhere, there should be earthquakes anywhere, there should not be excess rain anywhere, there should not be tsunami anywhere...
Alhumdulillah good gathering, no one take credit for rain. If rain start it will not say Muslim prayed so rain will b poured on Muslim house. If we cannot do good we do not have right to object it. Plant tree first then say to other. Pray for betterment of our society. Better reframe from negative thinking nd work for betterment of our country
May Allah put mercy on all humanity & fulfill scarcity of water around us...
Dear Brothers... Instead of blaming someone better you look at yourself... What you have done for the human being... Did anyone here try to stop cutting trees or plant trees around your location...? Most of the comments shows like they belong to trouble mongers groups.. They will never think about society development & build peace & harmony among different community... First of all learn to respect each other...
Try to learn teaching of Quran & power of Islam.. May Allah give you all Hidaya... Aameen.
Parakashanna, these people not believing the Miracles, then how comes next week rain??? better bring water in Choppers like Uttarakand, then declare we are the winners!!!!
Wonderful muslim brothers. keep it up good work for the society.
O ALLAH send us rain'\ O ALLAH send us rain\" O ALLAH send us rain\""
Plant tree all over. that will be better idea.
Good work, Muslim brothers. humanity still alive
next week rain will come dont worry.
Add new comment