BBMP, cops join hands to supply food across Bengaluru

Put to risk by the nationwide lockdown, an increasing number of poor and daily labourers have been dialling the ‘Hunger Helpline’ launched by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike and the state government.

The helpline (15524), in less than 24 hours since its launch, has received more than 15,000 frantic calls from labourers and the poor, and the numbers are only increasing with every passing hour.

Regulating the supply and distribution of food packets to the deserving people who have been severely hit, the BBMP officials have assigned its offices at the zonal level and DCP offices across the city to ensure timely delivery of food and other materials. All Hoysala vehicles of the Bengaluru city police have been deployed for distribution purpose.

For latest updates on coronavirus outbreak, click here

“If any poor person is in need of food in any part of the city, they must call either 100 or 15524. A Hoysala vehicle will immediately, ensure the supply of food material,” a BBMP official said.

Networking with NGOs and religious organisations, the BBMP officials have been successfully delivering 2.23 lakh packets of food every day to various parts of the city. “We have been able to supply 1.27 lakh packets of breakfast to various labourers’ colonies and construction sites. Besides, we have also supplied about 95,000 packets of lunch to these locations.”

Several NGOs, religious organisations, corporators and MLAs have come together to distribute groceries — rice, atta, oil, salt, pulses and sambhar powder to distressed families. A few have been supplying masks and sanitisers to civic workers and BBMP personnel working at the forefront.