VIJAYAWADA: In the wake of unprecedented floods that struck Vijayawada, Hare Krishna Movement Charitable Foundation Andhra Pradesh, an associate trust of Akshaya Patra Foundation, has emerged as a lifeline for lakhs of flood victims.
With the heavy inflows of the Krishna River and overflowing Budameru Rivulet inundating half of the city, the Hare Krishna Movement made a crucial contribution of providing food, combating hunger during this crisis.
Following the State government instructions, the Hare Krishna Movement has provided food to over 14 lakh people since the floods began, scaling up their efforts to feed around 2 to 2.5 lakh people daily.
The first day of their operations on August 31, the Hare Krishna Movement began by providing food packets to 60,000 people. By that night, the number had doubled, and since then, they have ramped up their services to feed 2.5 lakh flood victims daily.
The organisation operates from its food manufacturing centre near Mangalagiri, which has the capacity to prepare enough rice for 65,000 people in just two hours. The machinery in their kitchen is designed to handle mass production, ensuring timely delivery of meals like Sambar rice, Tomato rice, Pongal, and curd rice.
Recognising the scale of the disaster, Murali Krishna, Managing Director of Divis Laboratories, came forward as a volunteer and donated Rs 4.80 crore to support the efforts of the Hare Krishna Movement. His contribution has played a vital role in ensuring a steady supply of food to the flood-affected regions.
“Divis has been a part of this massive programme, and we have so far donated Rs 4.80 crore,” he said, emphasising the importance of collective efforts during times of crisis.
The State government’s decision to rely on Hare Krishna Movement for food preparation proved instrumental, as their associate group Akshaya Patra has a centralised kitchen at Mangalagiri which is equipped with machines that can prepare 100 kgs of Rice in just 10 minutes and sambar rice for 15,000 people in 90 mins.
Every four hours, the organisation is capable of preparing enough food for lakhs of people, as per their Spiritual Master Srila Prabhupada’s words, “No one around 10 km radius of our place should go hungry.”
Speaking to TNIE, Andhra Pradesh central region president Vamsidhara Dasa, lauded the coordinated efforts of the NGOs, State government and donors noting, “We are preparing food for 2.5 lakh flood victims daily.”
In total, 350 workers are dedicated to this cause, working 24/7 to prepare meals. Despite limited staff, the organisation continues to deliver food to canteens and flood victims with the help of volunteers, including students and teachers from nearby villages.
“The State government is sending Anganwadi workers and SHG members from the surrounding villages to assist us,” he said.