BBMP backs down from feeding migrant workers

Confronted by the challenge of supplying food to thousands of migrants stranded in the city, the BBMP which had initially assumed the responsibility to feed labourers in all 198 wards has scaled it down to 166 wards.

The sheer number of migrants and the needy in Mahadevapura has made the BBMP officials realise that they cannot handle it entirely.

"According to our information, Mahadevapura alone has more than 20,000 migrants or other needy people requiring food, which has placed immense challenges for the BBMP," said an official.

As a result, the labour department has now been entrusted with the task, which has already been given the charge of feeding 24 outlying wards in the city.

Captain P Manivannan, Secretary, Labour Department, has expressed confidence to handle the task.

"Wipro is donating 40,000 packets per day. This, coupled with the existing stocks of food, is enough to handle the situation," he said.

At present, the department is doling out thousands of food packets in the wards coming under its jurisdiction. "The number of packets has been slowly going up each day, showing that more and more people are coming forward to make use of the food deliveries," Captain Manivannan said. "The day before yesterday, we doled out nearly 80,000 packets. Yesterday, we doled out 1 lakh packets."

Packets are provided to the needy twice a day, during lunch and dinner. Each costs the department about Rs 25 and many are being sourced by two local companies, in addition to the free donations by Wipro.

"We are also sourcing a 12kg ration pack of dry foods, including rice and dal powder, from the Akshaya Patra Foundation which the department is paying for, which will also be doled out and this will help ease the situation somewhat because each ration packet is meant to last for about 2 weeks," Mannivanan said.

DIPR war room

Labour department officials are also said to be grappling with the challenges of ensuring food supplies go to those actually in need.

"We suspect that people with food at home are nevertheless showing up at these distribution points and taking away rations. In other cases, people are taking away multiple packets even though they are only entitled to one," Manivannan said.

"We are introducing geo-tracking with the help of the police to ensure that only migrants get access to the food. All geo-tracked information will be sent to a centralised "war room" at information department headquarters on Infantry Road which will be up-to-date information on how much food is going out and who is getting them. The war room becomes operational from tomorrow. This should help streamline things," he added.