NGOs, parties arrange for food, transport to the needy

Sensing inconvenience to the public and also those arriving to the city, Jamaat E Hind arranged free transport services to the people stranded at railway station, bus stand and also other strategic points, due to non-availability of vehicles since last night.

Autorickshaws and omni vans were put into service, displaying free transport board from these places till the early hours of today, its propaganda secretary, Abdul Hakim said.

Similarly, the organisation, with the assistance of volunteers of Socialist Democratic Party of India and Students Islamic Organisation, arranged for food from this morning for the needy near Government Hospital and nearby areas. The volunteers also distributed food packets, specially prepared by them to police personnel on duty, including those from RAF and other para-military forces.

Some 30 girl students of Bharathiar University on the outskirts, wanted to go to Kerala, but were stranded and Jamaat arranged for vehicles, picked them up and dropped at railway station, Hakim said.

Closing of eateries gave a tough time for bachelors, footpath dwellers and persons from other places stranded in the city. Thanks to the selfless help extended by a few organisations and families in the city. Sushila Devi (54) of R.S. Puram got up early in the morning and prepared breakfast for 150 persons.

On serving hot masal chapathis for breakfast for the people starving on the footpath of the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, she learnt that they would not have lunch. “So I made sambar rice for lunch. I also preparing supper for them,” she said and plans to do this till the hotels are open and normalcy returns. Her husband and grandchildren Jashan (5) and Riya J. Bafna were there to help her.

Members of Food Bank along with NGOs Osai and Pasumai Desam prepared food at home and served a few hundred people across the city. Caterer Ranjith was on the move in a van with his team serving free tea for nearly 800 persons. Rajasthani Sangh served lunch for a few hundred police personnel and allied forces that were involved in the security arrangements. 

Food Bank also arranged for food to the stranded police personnel across the city, deployed for duty.