IIT(ISM) in association with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Sasakawa-India Leprosy Foundation, a charitable organisation working for mainstreaming leprosy affected and cured people, on Friday launched a food and other essential items distribution programme for residents of nine leprosy colonies in Dhanbad.

A joint team from IIT(ISM) and Sasakawa-ILF led by IIT(ISM) director Rajiv Shekhar distributed food grains and other essentials in six leprosy colonies of Jharia and Sindri — Durgapur Kusth Colony, Baniahir Kusth Colony, Bankathi Kusth Colony and Ballugadda Kusth Colony in Jharia; Prem Nagar Kusth Colony at Saharpura in Sindri; and Adarsh Nagar Kusth Colony, Kusunda Railway Phatak.

The team, which included IIT(ISM) dean of international relations Dhiraj Kumar and state programme officer of Sasakawa-ILF Debkant Bhanja, distributed flour, edible oil, potatoes, masoor dal and soaps among the needy.

“Though we had planned to distribute the essentials in nine colonies on Friday, we could not visit three colonies -- Asha Vihar Colony, Jharia and BMP Colony Chiragora and Bhalgoria Kushth Colony in Bhabtarini. The distribution there will be carried out on Saturday,” Dhiraj Kumar said.

“We have planned to distribute 2,250kg of flour, 253 litres of cooking oil, 202kg of masoor dal, 384 soaps and 950kg of potatoes, of which a major portion was distributed on Friday and the remaining will be distributed on Saturday,” he said.

“As we are industry members or industry partner of the CII, we represented them during the distribution programme,” Dhiraj said, adding that the leprosy affected were chosen for the distribution programme because they belong to the most-deprived section of the society and stay in remotest localities of the town.

Sukhdev Prasad, 28, a resident of Durgapur Kusth Colony in Jharia, said: “The team arrived at our colony at 1pm and carried out the distribution work for 45 minutes.”

Prasad, who works with a heavy earthmover manufacturing firm in Dhanbad, said the team from IIT(ISM) and Sasakawa explained the importance of observing social distancing norms to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

He said they were not facing immediate scarcity of food as a few organisations are coming to their help, so they have decided to make a bank of essential items in their colony for use if things get worse.