JOIN USBread & bun for flood-hit
The people of North Karnatka stranded in floods will have to be content with bread, bun and biscuits till they get a semblance of roof over their heads. However, it is going to be rice, saaru and porridge at temporary sheds.
As many as 10,000 food packets are on their way to the flood affected areas from Bangalore, thanks to Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike.
Two Indian Air Force helicopters carried over 3,000 packets to Raichur and Bagalkot districts. Food and Civil Supplies minister Hartal Halappa and principal secretary to the CM V P Baligar flew in the helicopter that carried food packets to Bagalkot district.
The Palike has made arrangements to transport the balance of 7,000 packets to Bellary by road. BBMP Commissioner Bharat Lal Meena and Adviser to the CM Dr A Ravindra flagged off the trucks. Six doctors from the Palike have also been sent to Bellary to assist the district administration in relief works. Transport Minister R Ashok supervised the arrangements at the Palike end.
Marathon task
BBMP got the instruction to arrange food packets at around 8 pm on Friday. It was a marathon exercise for Meena and his staff from then on. They contacted various suppliers to procure required quantity.
“Making arrangements for 10,000 packets was not an easy task. Many suppliers were running out of stock. Somehow we arranged the packets late on Friday night. Health Department staff worked overnight to pack the material,” said Chief Engineer Gopalaswamy.
Ashok said, “Each packet consists sweet bun, bread, biscuits, glucose and a water bottle. Our staff is prepared to arrange more packets. Five hours is enough to arrange 10,000 more packets,” the minister said. Asked on the amount spent for the food packets, the minister said that expenditure has not been worked out yet and that the government will bear the cost.
Going by maximum retail price of each product, a packet costs Rs 59. It includes Rs 8 for bottled water, Rs 10 each for bread and biscuits, Rs 18 for glucose and Rs 13 for a sweet bun.