BENGALURU : When the first phase of the lockdown was announced, it didn’t take long for Dr Lalrinawmi Ralte to spring into action. Since March 27, the faculty member of United Theological College, who hails from Mizoram, has been helping the Northeastern communities by distributing food and essentials. “We have been working without a break. This will continue till the end of the lockdown,” says Ralte, who also goes by the name Rini Ralte.
A Bengaluru resident of 25 years, she is also the president of Northeast Solidarity, an organisation founded in 2014 against the backdrop of the exodus in 2012. Today, Ralte and a team of volunteers have stepped in to help the communities from the North East. So far, they have reached over 3,000 individuals and families. The biggest problem they face, says Ralte, is the need for food due to non-payment of salaries. “There is also uncertainty looming for the future and the thought of getting their jobs back as most of them come from small scale, construction and restaurant industries,” she says, adding that many tourists and students are stranded in the city, creating panic due to the uncertainty of returning home.
Currently, the volunteers have been clocking in 12-15 hours to help out. “We start with the identification of the location from the requests made to our helpline and we assign volunteers according to the five zones for distribution,” says Ralte, adding that they have visited more than 38 locations, including KR Puram, Bellandur and Yeshwantpur. Help also came pouring in from different groups like Gubbachi Learning Community who gave them over 20,000 kg of rice and other items.
Police Nodal Officer Joshi Srinath Mahadev, DCP, South East Division, also helped with 5,000 kg rice. Challenges, however, have also been plenty. The foremost includes cash for petrol, with volunteers currently footing the bill themselves. “We are physically tired, working in day and night, dark and light days, dirty areas, bad roads, dark areas, wheel punctures, vehicle light broken,” says Ralte, who shows no sign of stopping. “As long as the need requirement continues, we will continue. The worry now is that post lockdown, the need for food may be even more as many have lost their jobs,” she adds.