E-Paper
Make food arrangement in slums, Jaipur collector urged
The group, which included NGOs and civil society organisations, wrote to the collector, demanding that on the lines of the Delhi government’s initiative, schools be converted into permanent food schools and inked to Google Maps.
A group of 11 organisations urged the Jaipur collector on Sunday to ensure arrangements for distribution of food grains in slums in the city and townships where the poor live in large numbers.
The group, which included NGOs and civil society organisations, wrote to the collector, demanding that on the lines of the Delhi government’s initiative, schools be converted into permanent food schools and inked to Google Maps.
In a letter, the group of 11 organisations, called ‘Jan Prayas’, told the collector that they have been working for the supply of food to the poor and helpless in Jaipur city since March 21.
“We started this work on March 21 with 500 food packets, which increased to 8,000 by April 2. Since March 27, 3500 food packets are being distributed among the workers in India Gate, Sitapura Industrial Area. Apart from this, in these 13 days we have delivered food to people in 70 to 80 settlements of Jaipur city,” the letter said.
“In these 13 days, several times we have informed the government and administration that they should distribute food in these identified areas. The food we are distributing was being served to us through various gurdwaras, temples, mosques, charitable trusts, individuals, citizens and civil socirty organisations,” the group said in the letter.
“Starting from March 21, we started leaving the settlements gradually, where the initiative of the government or other citizens became an alternative system.”
The group said that on March 27, they distributed food at 6 to 7 places in India Gate, where there are more than 20,000 daily wage laborers and there was no way of earning as industries were closed from March 22.
“Now also, on the end of government, food is not distributed in the whole area. We request you that administration should arrange one month’s dry ration in all areas.”
The group said the condition created by coronavirus infection can last longer than 2 months due to which the helplessness of poor people can increase. “Therefore it is very important that as far as possible these people should be made self-sufficient, burn their own stove and be able to eat regular and definitely two-time bread.”
Kavita Srivastava from PUCL said, “Every government school in the city should be made a dining room so that all the needy can get their cooked food till their own stove is burnt. The Delhi government has also designed an app in which every school has been identified on Google Map, so that every person has easy access.”
She added that through the midday meal service providers of the Delhi government, the administration has started cooking centres and 4 to 6 lakh people are being served food there.
