<p>The 45-day lockdown has shown that the government’s food distribution system is severely broken, a report has claimed.</p>.<p>The ground-level survey conducted by the citizen-led group Navu Bharatiyaru accused the government of failing to assess the situation even five weeks into the lockdown, though the absence of a database on the labourers, destitute persons and other needy groups without ration cards had been highlighted earlier.</p>.<p>On instances when trade union members and activists handed the list of migrant workers and other needy people, officials supplied less than half the food requested.</p>.<p>The group gave a list of 170 families needing ration in Shivajinagar, but “25 days after approaching and following up with the government, only six (food) kits have been given,” the report said.</p>.<p>“There is still no clarity on whether our list of migrant families or the locals without ration cards will be given ration or not. The situation of those in Ward 91 (Bharathinagar) and 92 (Shivajinagar) is difficult since they are stating that they don’t even have food to eat,” it added.</p>.<p>The story is not any different in other parts of the city. In Venkateshwara Layout, Chinnappa Layout and other areas of Mahadevapura, the activists surveyed at least 1,000 workers who required ration. </p>.<p>“At the start of the lockdown, one round of ration was distributed to one part of this colony, which was meant to last 21 days. Inside the box was 2.5 kg rice, rotting potatoes and one litre oil. Later, we learnt that the food got stale in the godown because of the delay in the distribution process,” the report said.</p>.<p>Sudha N, a volunteer, said a BBMP assistant revenue officer told a group member that the food distribution would stop as migrants are allowed to go home.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">Food distribution will continue</p>.<p>Amid fears among NGOs that the government might discontinue distributing food, labour department secretary P Manivannan assured that the scheme would be funded. “We will continue (the food distribution) till things stabilise,” he said. “We will ensure all construction workers get enough to feel happy on the food front.”</p>
<p>The 45-day lockdown has shown that the government’s food distribution system is severely broken, a report has claimed.</p>.<p>The ground-level survey conducted by the citizen-led group Navu Bharatiyaru accused the government of failing to assess the situation even five weeks into the lockdown, though the absence of a database on the labourers, destitute persons and other needy groups without ration cards had been highlighted earlier.</p>.<p>On instances when trade union members and activists handed the list of migrant workers and other needy people, officials supplied less than half the food requested.</p>.<p>The group gave a list of 170 families needing ration in Shivajinagar, but “25 days after approaching and following up with the government, only six (food) kits have been given,” the report said.</p>.<p>“There is still no clarity on whether our list of migrant families or the locals without ration cards will be given ration or not. The situation of those in Ward 91 (Bharathinagar) and 92 (Shivajinagar) is difficult since they are stating that they don’t even have food to eat,” it added.</p>.<p>The story is not any different in other parts of the city. In Venkateshwara Layout, Chinnappa Layout and other areas of Mahadevapura, the activists surveyed at least 1,000 workers who required ration. </p>.<p>“At the start of the lockdown, one round of ration was distributed to one part of this colony, which was meant to last 21 days. Inside the box was 2.5 kg rice, rotting potatoes and one litre oil. Later, we learnt that the food got stale in the godown because of the delay in the distribution process,” the report said.</p>.<p>Sudha N, a volunteer, said a BBMP assistant revenue officer told a group member that the food distribution would stop as migrants are allowed to go home.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">Food distribution will continue</p>.<p>Amid fears among NGOs that the government might discontinue distributing food, labour department secretary P Manivannan assured that the scheme would be funded. “We will continue (the food distribution) till things stabilise,” he said. “We will ensure all construction workers get enough to feel happy on the food front.”</p>
