Community kitchens set up in South 24-Parganas to serve food to the needy

Kolkata: South 24-Parganas administration has set up community kitchens at different locations to feed the needy amid the lockdown over the Coronavirus pandemic.

"We are concerned that no one should starve due to the lockdown. The initiative was taken to feed the helpless stranded on the streets. We have started reaching out to poor, beggars, disabled, deserted senior citizens, stranded labourers and tourists, special schools, cancer and TB patients, daily earners (rickshaw pullers and others), street children and migrants," said Dr P Ulaganathan, district magistrate of South 24-Parganas.

NGOs, BDOs, Police and like-minded organisations have set up Community Kitchens at different places. According to sources, food is being cooked by Matribhumi Welfare Trust. The Padmapukur Youth Club under the Baruipur Municipality area is distributing food to at least 500 people daily.

"Different blocks have adopted this. Either Police BDOs or some NGOs are distributing food. We have identified how many immigrant labourers are stranded. And we are distributing food to them. We have started a community kitchen concept earlier. NGOs were not involved in the distribution or cooking earlier. The state chief secretary has issued an order mentioning that we can take the help of them. After that, we have roped in a lot of NGOs and civil organisations and other industrialists who are like-minded and want to help society. Blockwise we are allotting them to feed people," pointed out Ulaganathan. He said that Prayas, a small initiative in South 24-Parganas, was started through which CD volunteers of different blocks (nearly 300) extend help like the supply of life-saving drugs and any kind of emergency help to senior citizens, persons with disabilities and critically diseased.

"They can text on WhatsApp or call the designated Person, blockwise, Headquarter CD control room/block control room for assistance. This will be operational 24×7," said Ulaganathan.