Three blind persons who used to sell sundry items on trains and their localities but were put out of work by the pandemic got a fillip in the form of fresh stocks on Monday.

They got incense sticks, phenyl, flattened rice, sanitisers — to be sold over the coming days.

Among them was Putu Bera, 30, from Hooghly, who got a fresh stock of incense sticks.

Before the lockdown, Bera used to sell incense sticks on the platform of Bandel railway station with her husband, who is visually impaired, too. They used to make the sticks at home.

The pandemic and long suspension of suburban trains had robbed them of their livelihood. “There was no money to buy raw materials to make new sticks. We survived on donations and relief materials from various groups,” she said.

Bera plans to sell the new sticks near the station. Local trains have resumed but hawkers are not being allowed on them. The station platforms are also out of bounds for hawkers, according to railway norms.

Abdul Rashid Molla, who came from Budge Budge in South 24-Parganas, got around a dozen bottles of phenyl.

The recipients were brought by The Society For The Welfare Of The Blind, an NGO that had provided financial aid and dry ration to around 500 families, whose earning members are visually impaired, during the lockdown.

“It is really a tough time for these people. The fresh stocks will be of great use to them. They plan to sell the items on the platform and in localities near their home till hawkers are formally allowed to sell their fare on trains,” said Biswajit Ghosh, the secretary of the NGO.

Niranjan Ram, the third recipient on Monday, had come from Narendrapur. “We don’t want to live on alms. Selling these products will be the first step to reclaim the life of respect,” he said.

The stocks given to the hawkers on Monday were procured by Disha Eye Hospitals to mark World Braille Day, which is celebrated on January 4. The programme was held at the Gariahat unit of the chain.

“The idea is to provide the principal for business to the blind hawkers, so that they can sell the products, and start rolling the profit in a sustainable manner,” said Debasish Bhattacharya, chairman and managing director, Disha Eye Hospitals.

Similar help will be extended to 97 other blind hawkers, said an official of Disha.