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
one of the chut#yst man i ever seen in this news portal..do you think modi is internet email so all the people with him...first change your cow dunge to human brain and come to mangalore for treatment...
Doctor name Dr Kamath surgen 9967453786...
is it ok for you to replace with bakra brain...then dont blame muslim for that..reason we have sortage of human brain due to election
Ananth Kumar, what have you done for the people other then living the life style of the rich and famous with the poor tax payers money and warming up your seat. Nobody can match Siddaramiah he has done 100 foldes of you guys had done.. BJP leaders have nothing tangable to show that's why you guys keep bring up the watch issue. Please vote for Congress! so Siddaramiah can be our CM for a better future for the people of Karnataka.
Moustache still black by the grace of Kolesston colour but Laak chupawo Chupna sakegha Jhoota bjp walon ka jhoot ka chehra. Shakuni mamoo next mp election u will not be anywhere in Karnataka Map.
Wait and watch. first leg will be within a week and the final leg 2019 supda saap no adress of bjp or rss or u.
Anant, thu kasan sangtha maraya, lutha bais. 15 May pale Kazan zatha mum. Yeddi che chaddi votha.
Dear Ananthkumar, you are able and fit leader to be next CM of karnataka. You are always tellig the truth and open to all. We, the people of your constituency fully support you as our care taker and helping us. You are like our God Father.
Anant Kumar is 100 percent correct. Cogress will not get a single seat against the wave's of MODI and YOGI. Our great national hero leader PM Modi has already told that people of Karnataka have made their mind to kick out Congress and select only BJP in karnataka and to be followed by Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra. I think Electon Commission should stop voting in Karnataka to save billions of Rupees as people have already informed our Leader great Modi that they will vote for BJP only. It will be a waste of money for Congress and other parties also as BJP is going to sweep almost all the seats. Our PM is a great astrologer and has dreamt about the win in Karnataka and whatever he dreams it comes true. He had dream of becomingPM of india and it became true. He also dreamed that he will visit also all the countries in the world and its nearly completing as he has left only few countries to visit. Jai Modi ji . Jai Hind.
All Bjp leadrs are day dreaming for power in karnataka which will end on 15th may 2018.Let them happy upto that day. JAI KARNATAKA JAI INDIA.NO FEAR INDIA IS OUR SLOGAN.
Ananth Kumar and Anant Kumar Hegde, both are same in mindset. always spits nonsenses
A study shows BJP is 'richest' political party and the money not in the name of party it's owned by BJP leaders individually. They are not showing it while filing nomination and they are not paying income tax also
The irony is, cow dung fools are criticising normal people
Soon BJP will be eradicated from India due to Computer baba, rapist BJP MLAs, Yogi and Feku etc
In other countries, ministers and elected persons will be highly qualified specific area focused people. Here in India, all BJP MLAs and ministers are some cow dungs
India will be free of BJP due to Modi and his MLA fools
I am not a supporter of any political leader or party. But yeah i'll definitely choose a candidate wisely while voting irrespect of his caste or party.
Mr. Ananth kumar what you know about the facilities the present govt has provided for the farmers by sitiing in Delhi?
Mr. Siddu ( I am not a suppoter of him anyway) has done Something for the farmers of his state. Dont blindnly fool the people of karnataka.
Its sad that farmers are ending their lives all over India..
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