BMC distributes 1000 food packets to manual labourers

Bhubaneswar:  With procurement of food becoming a challenge since many small eateries are closed as their workers have gone to their respective villages in the aftermath of the cyclone, everyone who can, is pitching in for the rehabilitation of the people displaced by Cyclone Fani and also those who are working relentlessly to rebuild the city by clearing the roads etc.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started distributing food packets to the approximately 1,000 manual workers deployed across the city for clearing the roads. These also include drivers and helpers of the JCBs and other machines deployed for lifting of green garbage.

However, exclusive teams with specialised force for tree cutting and clearing of roads i.e. NDRF, Odisha Fire Service, ODRAF, OFDC and teams from other states are not included in this, as they are provided with proper food by the civic authorities and locals, at many places, are extending a warm welcome and also helping the teams out to carry out the massive work.

A BMC official said 300 packets were distributed yesterday. But after today’s 1,000 packets, equal number of packets will be supplied every day till the green garbage is lifted from the city. Today, the BMC team supplied food packets to workers at 11 locations i.e. Unit IV (two places), Kharvel Nagar (two places), Unit IX (two places), Sashtri Nagar, Sahid Nagar, Unit III quarters, Lower PMG and Laxmisagar area.

Others who are pitching in

Peer leaders of Shantinagar and Jagannath Basti under the Socially Smart Project of Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited and UNFPA, teamed up with other volunteers from Jagruti National Youth Project and Gyandeep Foundation from Kandhamal and Mayurbhanj and helped in tree cutting and clearing of areas in the respective slums under the Bhubaneswar Town Centre District (BTCD) area.

People from the Shantinagar area not only helped the volunteers in the cleaning the slum but also arranged lunch for the volunteers.

St John Ambulance is doing its bit by distributing water across the city. They supplied water to more than 10,000 thirsty persons in the city today.

Cooked food by Gurudwara Singh Sabha also attracted many people.