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 only shows that PROPHET MUHAMMED pbuh, the final messenger to the whole of MANKIND Spoke the TRUTH...
He said : In the end time LIES will be accepted as truth and TRUTH will be accepted as LIES. People are IGNORANT of the CREATOR that's why the EVILs find easy to trap the people With LIES and DECEPTION. ... Most of the people who doesnt use their intellect are falling to the LIES of the arrogant leaders.. and believing it as TRUTH... infact if we research what ZN says is all TRUTH and FACT from not only from Muslim scripture but also other religious scriptures.
But its a temporary enjoyment... for the falsehood... if not repented to God ... They will surely see that ALLAH's plan was the best. Muslims should be patience on their arrogance and fight lawfully.
But they plan, and Allah too plans. And Allah is the best of planners.
Who is the creator of this Univers and
the creator of you & me.
When people are busy in exchanging their old currencies, the Govt. is banning Dr.Zakir Naik's NGO and slowly taking over his Schools.
BJP needs place to hide their black money. So they are byforce taking over zakir's house to hide their money.
BJP needs place to hide their black money. So they are by force taking over zakir's house to hide their money.
shame on NIA who is acting on centre for their shameless ideology ...to curb a peace lover and a peace preacher ..... does it mean that every Muslim become TERRORIST instead of Peace lover like Dr.Zakir Naik ?
i think its time to become that soon . as INDIA will see bloodiest Civil War as RSS wishes to hold onto its 2025 Brahmin Rashtra agenda to come true (which is dream only) . but if ARMY is sasffronised only
Movement like Popular front, SPDI , komu souharda vedike .DYFI,SFI,CFI, Dalit Panthers, Naxal . pragathipara vedike will always there to defend the Nation from such foolish rulers ....
Jai Hind
Asaram Bapu and Zakir Naik both are same
Do you know how????
Their followers are telling that they are innocent and blaming government ...Ha ha ha
Dr. Zakir Naik is a student of Comparative religions. He preaches oneness of God, peace and harmony quoting verses from Quran, Bible and Vedas. Anti Islamic elements cannot equate him logically, and they cannot tolerate his popularity.
Targeting innocent Muslims or peaceful Muslim organizations is not at all a good step. Fascists with their biased policies will only harm the peace in the nation.
India being a plural society, Ruling parties or any other parties why dont you support the UNITY IN DIVERSITY towards the benefit of our beloved nation.
Good move by government...
I think this may be the one of reason for Demonetization of 500 and 1000 rupees, Saffron Government attacking A muslim daayi and his organization under the darkness of 500 and 1000 currency, Actually Muslim does not benefit much from Dr. Zakir as he is not a fiqh scholar, our non muslim brothers missed the opportunity to understand the truth through him, But nothing to worry, If Allah wish to guide one, No one can misguide him,
you can ban legend and great leader like DR.ZAKIR NAIK but you cannot stop or prevent spreading ISLAM all over the world. if you hold one DR.ZAKIR NAIK thousands of other DR. ZAKIR NAIK will come up with more powerful SPEECHES and awareness.
so stop doing unwanted activities and actions..
Dr Zakir should have come to India, since he is away from India authority has more chances of squeezing his organisations. if he is guilty court will punish him. it should not be the situation where he gave stick and ate beatings. Only Allah knows the truth and Allah will guide the best..
I DONT think he can do unwanted activities,
any way
Truth will prevail and evil will perish soon
Political Power is the Master key to open the doors of Justice. hope the Indian Muslim Community Stand together under one political Platform . then only can defeat the Fascist ideology. in india muslim's issue is not just the religious one, its full of Politics which Muslims never realized. let the community stand on their own. now the question is where are those champions of Secularism ..???
This is the lab test of communal anti India rss group. Now by false case they will start to ban other Islamic organization. They are planners are full training under Jews group.
Whole IndIan citizens aware of their intention devide and rule for the sake of so called upper case.
But God will by the supper of peace loving Indins it will not happen.
Now the young cm padnavi of rss more active with anti India policy.Hope hard woring Mumbaikar will stand with peacefull life.
Jai Hind!h3
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