In a benevolent move Tripura E-Rickshaw Workers Union has begun food service meal @ Rs 1 for the poor and destitute of Battala area from yesterday to ensure at least one meal in a day during Covid pandemic.
Describing the mission President of the union Biplab Kar said there are around 200 daily wagers assembled in the area during lunch hour but most of them couldn’t afford to buy food from the market due to minimum earnings.
Similarly, a few destitute waited for the gesture from the Samaritan. Due to the pandemic, there has been hardly any movement of people who can offer food to them.
“In the first wave different organisations, clubs and individuals distributed food in different locations of the city but during the second wave hardly there is the distribution of food materials among the poor except for the registered citizens by the government. We found destitute people of Battala locality are spending night continuously without food for a few weeks, which prompted us to serve them simple food,” Kar stated.
He pointed out that the income of E-Rickshaw workers has also gone down at a critical level due to pandemic but they couldn’t remain silent to the urge of the poor for food and added, “We are collecting a small daily contribution from our workers and the businessmen of Battala market area to start the service. But we didn’t make it free because we believe nothing is free in this society and to encourage the food seekers to get engaged in some work to earn.”
Kar said a few children and street dwellers have been given free meals, as they have no scope to earn. However, the daily wagers, rickshaw pullers and others have been getting a decent meal at the payment of Rs 1, which will be continued till the end of the pandemic situation and life becomes normal. As per the plan, five days veg meal and fish and egg meal would be supplied two days in the week.
