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Phaldaani, the fruit donor of Prayagraj’s Pachkhara village
Bhupendra Kumar, a former village head, said the free supply of fruits worth around ₹two lakh has been of great help to Pachkhara’s around 4,000 residents
Babban Singh, an orchardist in Prayagraj’s Pachkhara, has left a quarter of trees in his orchards for his fellow villagers to source Indian gooseberry, wood apple, bananas, and mangoes free of cost for over a year now to help them tide over the hardships they have been facing because of Covid-19. The gesture has earned Singh the nickname of “Phaldaani” (fruit donor).
Bhupendra Kumar, a former village head, said the free supply of fruits worth around ₹two lakh has been of great help to Pachkhara’s around 4,000 residents.
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The bulk of the residents are dependent on farming while some worked as migrant workers in big cities such as Delhi and Mumbai. Many of those migrant workers have been forced to return home because of the pandemic.
Singh said the pandemic has caused hardships as people lost jobs and those working in big cities were forced to return. He added daily wage workers have particularly struggled to find work and that has made ensuring three meals a day a challenge. Singh said that is why he decided to leave a share of the seasonal fruits from his orchards for his fellow villagers. He added it will help them boost their immunity and help fight Covid-19.
Choti, a 33-year-old housewife, and mother of three, said her husband was without work for six months and the fruits from Singh’s orchard were a great help to her family.
