TIRUCHY: The Tiruchy City Corporation and other good samaritans have been providing food to the homeless, destitute and several labourers stranded in the city since the lockdown. Currently, they are serving three meals a day to over 4,000 homeless people. The menu for breakfast and dinner is idli and sambhar, and lunch either sambhar or curd rice. "Initially, we were distributing food to about 1,800 people. However, in the last four days, we are distributing to 4,000 people," said Corporation Commissioner S Sivasubramaniam.
The corporation has set up kitchens in Kalaiarangam auditorium, Amman Mandapam, and Devar Hall. It has also employed a special team for cooking and distributing the food across the city. If there is a need for more food, we would set up more number of kitchens in those places, said officials.
Talking about the availability of materials, Sivasubramaniam, said that there was enough stock and officials are checking the everyday requirement. "Based on it, we will consider increasing or decreasing the food distribution to homeless and others, in the next two days," he added.
Not only have the destitutes largely benefitted out of it, but also labourers from other districts who were stranded due to no transportation facility.
"Usually, there will be lots of marriage and family functions during March and April. Therefore, many of us came to Srirangam with a hope to get some work in catering units. But, the unexpected lockdown put all of us in trouble. Since there is no transportation facility, we have been staying at Srirangam for the past one week. Many of us are depending on the food served by the corporation and other people," said R Vijay, a worker from Tenkasi. He appealed to the corporation to continue the food distribution till April 14.
Likewise, for many senior citizens this is a lifeline. "Only a few hotels are opened in the city. We do not have enough money to buy food. Many are surviving on the food packets distributed by the corporation and other NGOs," said Kuppusamy, senior citizen and homeless individual.