Amrit Bhog Bhandara, a city-based social organisation formed a few days into the lockdown, is distributing cooked food to the needy with the help of the CRPF, BSF, NDRF and Assam police.

“We started providing meals from March 28 and will continue to do so till the lockdown ends. Starting with midday and evening meals for 3,000 poor people, we are now providing ration and food for 15,000 people in the city and adjoining areas daily. We are supplying food from 9am to 6pm,” said Alok Sonthalia of the organisation.

The food items like khichdi, puri-sabzi and roti are being cooked in the kitchen of Hotel Rituraj, on Kedar Road in Fancy Bazar. The CRPF is helping distribute the food in Boko, Mirza, Last Gate and Khanapara while the BSF is doing so at Narengi, Noonmati, Panikhaiti, Pathar Quarry and others. The NDRF, Jorabat police station and police reserve personnel are also distributing the food.

Bhagchand Jain, a senior official of the organisation, added, “We are maintaining complete cleanliness and hygiene while adhering to government rules and regulations while supplying quality food. Around 70 employees of Hotel Rituraj and ABB are engaged in the effort.”

The volunteers of Protirodhi Bondhu have been providing yeoman service in the health sector for the India-Bhutan border villages of Udalguri district and keeping villagers restricted to their residences amid the Covid-19 pandemic. “There are 119 such common service centres (CSC) in the district, rendering service to the populace where 500 volunteers are working. “The essential services provided include information dissemination and awareness, tele-psychological counseling and telemedicine, e-Pashu Chikitsa (veterinary advice system) and banking services,” said the assistant commissioner of Udalguri, Dimple Baruah.

Protirodhi Bondhu is a joint initiative of the common service centres-special purpose vehicle (CSC SPV) of Assam and the Assam State Disaster Management Authority to fight against the pandemic.

Additional reporting by Shajid Khan in Udalguri