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Uttarakhand’s specially-abled lend helping hand to migrants amid Covid-19 lockdown
Under the aegis of Devbhoomi Hearing and Speech Impaired Association, more than a dozen people, for the past nine days, are collecting ration and essential items from their association members.
Uttarakhand’s hearing and speech impaired people have come forward to the aid of stranded immigrants and daily wagers amid the lockdown, helping in day-to-day relief works being carried out by the administration and as well as their groups.
Under the aegis of Devbhoomi Hearing and Speech Impaired Association, more than a dozen people, for the past nine days, are collecting ration and essential items from their association members.
Named ‘Maa Ganga Ki Rasoi’ (mother Ganga’s kitchen), these specially-abled persons come together early mornings at the makeshift kitchen to collect and pack ration and other essentials in boxes.
Initially, food was also cooked, but the association members decided on ration kits as the better option, as the same can be delivered at the doorstep of poor and given to the needy who live in distant areas.
Sandeep Arora, the president of the Devbhoomi association, through a written communique, said that when he saw migrant labourers, domestic helps, rickshaw pullers and wandering seers queuing up to get food after the lockdown in the state on March 22, he decided to help them to the best of his capacity.
“We communicated through mobile text chats and internet with our members across the district and state who expressed a willingness to contribute to this initiative. During lockdown relaxation hours (7am-1pm), we carry out food ration collection and distribution work. Domestic helps, daily wage labourers, rickshaw drivers, wandering seers and slum dwellers are our prime focus,” said Sandeep Arora, who has also compiled poems on fighting the coronavirus scare.
These specially-abled people also helped a group of 15 stranded vendors, of Bahraich area in Uttar Pradesh, who sold ‘prasad’ (holy offerings) near Mata Mansa Devi Shrine a week before the lockdown.
“Today we have been provided 25 kilograms of wheat, 10 kg rice, mustard oil and related items by the association members. We are thankful to such people, who despite facing difficulties, are helping us. They have also taken our numbers so that we can inform them about our ration requirements,” said Jitendra Maurya, one of the vendors.
The association members have already started generating more resources by using social media, apprehensive of an extension to the lockdown.
“After our social work was highlighted in local media, we have also been receiving calls and communications from people who want help us. We are committed to providing food ration to the needy till April 30, even if we have to cut short our personal and family requirements,” said Har Deep Singh Chawla, a social activist associated with the association.
