Ludhiana Gas leak :Eatery owner offers free food to weary locals, rescuers

Shankar, who has two eateries at Sua Road, 250 metres from the spot, invited people to sit inside in both the places and eat what they wanted

Extending a kind gesture, a local eatery owner on Monday offered free food to locals, police personnel and other officials involved in the rescue operation on Sua Road in Giaspura after a toxic gas leak claimed 11 lives in the area.

Shankar (centre) outside his eatery on Sua Road on Monday. (HT Photo )

Shankar, who has two eateries at Sua Road, 250 metres from the spot, invited people to sit inside in both the places and eat what they wanted.

The eatery owner, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, said that he has seen people of Punjab holding community kitchens for the people during such tragedies and natural calamities and he too wanted to contribute to society.

According to Shankar, the area is thickly populated with most labourers and factory workers residing there.

After the gas leak, many of labourers were affected and most of them were not allowed to go home by the police following safety concerns.

“Sensing the problems of labourers in arranging food, I opened my eateries for people. The police personnel, paramilitary personnel and other departments were working tirelessly in the rescue operation. I wanted to contribute, so I decided to offer free food to everyone,” he added.

“I asked my workers to start preparing all the food items which we prepare daily. I started asking people to come inside the eatery, sit on table chairs and have food. The people ordered food, including chana bhatura, chana naan, chapati, mixed vegetable, pulses and rice from the menu, and we served it on the table. After having food, people offered money but we did not accept it,” Shankar, who has been living in Ludhiana for the past seven years, said.