Anantapur: NGOs rise to the occasion, serve food to destitutes

Anantapur: At a time when Covid positive cases have risen to 29 in the district and lockdown strictly being implemented, several NGOs are rising to the occasion and coming to the rescue of stranded migrant labour, destitute and the hungry.

Praja Science Vedika, Gooty Kota Parirakshana Samithi, Jana Vignana Vedika and Lions Club have set up two hunger relief camps across the Gooty town to serve free food to the needy and homeless people in the wake of nationwide lockdown after the coronavirus pandemic outbreak.

The hunger relief camp was launched on March 25 and ever since had been catering to the desperate food needs of the hungry. B Ismail, a social activist from Gooty, who is working with Gooty Kota Parirakshana Samithi, is offering food packets to 250 people twice a day.

The inspiration given by Dr M Suresh Babu, state president, Praja Science Vedika, resulted in providing food for the migrants for few days. Few of our friends went door-to-door to collect rice, dal, vegetables, clothes, soaps and necessary groceries.

"Initially we have provided the food, clothes, soaps and pastes to the migrants detained at two private engineering colleges. Everyday freshly cooked food was served following social distancing and lockdown norms. Food material and groceries in large quantities were provided by people to hunger relief camp," Suresh Babu said.

He said the NGO committee members decided to continue hunger relief camp till the end of lockdown. Everyday 250 stranded migrants, beggars and the shelterless poor are provided food twice a day, Dr Suresh told The Hans India.

He added the NGOs were facing difficulties in providing food to people in time due to non-availability of volunteers as police taking strict action against those stepping out of their homes.

"Raising resources to run the camp is not a problem. People are voluntarily donating food, oil, groceries, vegetables and money. The beneficiaries are asking us to provide Atta and sugar. Most of the migrant labourers are from Bihar, Rajasthan and Maharashtra as their food habits are different.

They are asking us to provide Atta and sugar," Suresh added. In addition to distributing rice, curry and buttermilk, we have also provided 10 bags of Atta and 25 kgs sugar, ravva, potatoes, onions, pulses so as to enable them to prepare their food, Suresh said.