Visakhapatnam: Good Samaritans reach out to needy in times of dire need

Visakhapatnam: Amid rising concerns over restricted supply of essential commodities, a motley group of individuals, railway personnel and NGO representatives join hands to reach out to the cops on duty, sanitation workers, migrant workers stranded in different parts of the district and the destitute to satiate their hunger pangs in times of dire need.

In the wake of the nationwide lockdown, the Railway Protection Force, Visakhapatnam, is arranging community meals to the stranded workers and needy people.

Senior Divisional Security Commissioner, RPF Jitendra Srivastava mentioned that the food will be prepared by the IRCTC based on the requirement. The RPF'S food distribution drive that began on March 23 reaches out to those stranded at railway station, Dayanad Nagar and other localities.

Following all the precautionary measures such as maintaining social distancing, wearing masks and using sanitisers, Waltair Division is supplying meals to the poor during the lockdown period.

Anna Chellelu Anubhandham Trust, an arm of the M S Ramayya Constructions (Pvt) Ltd, has been catering to the needy people by supplying food parcels, buttermilk and water bottles. "Minimum 1,000 persons will be provided food packets on a daily basis till the lockdown concludes. Apart from the poor, we also supply food to sanitary workers and patients at MVP Colony, Simhachalam, NAD and Sabbavaram.

Ever since the lockdown came into force, Balvinder Singh and his son Jagjit Singh of Dhaba City Punjab restaurant have been supplying steaming hot tea and snacks to the cops on duty at odd hours. Pooling funds from their family members and relatives, the duo ensures to supply minimum 100 cups of tea, each 100 ml, to the cops that too from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. This apart, teaming up with the Sikh community, they have been giving away packets of flavoured rice to the destitute located at MVP Colony, RTC bus complex and Poorna market. "We ensure to follow hand-hygiene measures while preparing the food and also pray before serving the food," says Balvinder Singh.

Similarly, a couple of NGOs have come forward to serve food to the destitute at various localities. "Senior citizens will be accorded top priority and every day, the service will be rendered to the destitute residing in various wards until the lockdown comes to an end," say Vanapalli Ravi Kumar of Pooja Foundation and S Murali of Shivohum Trust, who have been doing the yeoman service for over a week.

Besides distributing food packets and buttermilk to not less than 500 police personnel, Gurudeva Charitable Trust is satiating the hunger pangs of the beggars in and around Kothavalasa and Vepagunta.

Keeping the precautionary measures in view, some of the NGOs went beyond serving food to the needy. Founder-president of the Behara Charitable Trust Behara Bhaskara Rao gave away masks to those residing at 91 and 92 wards. Daama Foundation too followed suit in Gajuwaka constituency. In addition to masks, the foundation started spraying of bleaching powder in various slum areas.