The long economic slump because of the Covid pandemic is eating into donations to charitable platforms that have been providing free food to the poor in and around the city and in districts.

Jadavpur Commune, run by current and former students of the university, relaunched the community kitchen in May after Covid-induced curbs were announced. It would feed the underprivileged in and around Jadavpur station. But it has decided to discontinue the kitchen after August 15 owing to funds crunch.

They had started the service during the lockdown in May last year.

As funds dwindled, Jatiyo Bangla Sammelan, another volunteer platform that had been running six community kitchens since May this year, was forced to shut down its drive last month.

Jhelum Roy, a member of the Jadavpur Commune, said since the suburban train service was yet to resume, those who depended on it to earn their living were finding it difficult to survive. “Many of them would earn a living by selling various items to passengers on the train. Rickshaw-pullers had a steady flow of passengers. They are all struggling,” she said.

While Jatioyo Bangla Sammelan’s community kitchens in districts started shutting down in late June, the one in Gariahat — which was being run from Dover Lane and was their largest — wound up its operations in late July.

A member of Jadavpur Commune said it was not possible to sustain a platform like theirs in the absence of donations. “Those who initially contributed are now themselves reeling under financial constraints. We want the government to start a kitchen in the area.”

The commune has been feeding 300 people on average every day.

For Jatiyo Bangla Sammelan, a guesthouse next to Gariahat police station had been turned into a kitchen and was being helmed by youth and social activists since May 17.

From Gariahat, it was later extended to Bhowanipore, Howrah station, Egra in East Midnapore, Mousuni Island in South 24-Parganas and Chanditala in Hooghly.

A drastic drop in funds between May and July led to the kitchens closing in a phased manner, said Siddhabrata Das, a spokesperson for the platform.

“We started with Rs 1.20 lakh in May. In June, the collection dropped to Rs 70,000 and to Rs 25,000 in July. We could not sustain it any longer,” said Das.