<p>Hubballi: Aditya Raj Dandeli, a city-based social activist and businessman, has been offering free food to needy people for the last 5 days, even as many hotels have remained closed amid the gas crisis, in Hubballi. </p>.<p>Every day 1,000 to 1,500 people, including college students, women and labourers are fed lunch and dinner by him at his under-construction building on Shirur Park Road.</p>.<p>More than 600 people have their lunch and over 400 people their dinner here.</p>.<p>While lunch includes rice, sambar and curry, dinner consists of palak rice, bisibele bath, pulao and other rice items. People are happy with the service as several small hotels have been closed.</p>.<p>Prajwal, a student from Adaragunchi village, said he used to eat idli, rice or other items in small hotels at nominal prices at noon.</p>.<p>“Since they are closed now, paying more at big hotels is not affordable for me. The free meals here has helped me in the afternoons over the last 2 days,” the student said.</p>.<p>Dandeli said there were several students, labourers and outsiders in Vidyanagar area for various reasons. With the disruption in LPG supply, he came to know that many people were finding it difficult to get food at affordable rates. Hence, he thought of providing free meals to the needy. “God has given me the wherewithal to serve a few people. So, I thought of this endeavour. We are serving lunch from 1 pm to 4 pm and dinner between 8 pm and 10 pm,” he said.</p>.<p>The basement of the under-construction building has been used as a kitchen and the ground floor as dining hall.</p>.<p>Manoj of Sri Sai Caters, who has been assigned the responsibility of preparing the food, said he was assisted by five staff members, including two women, in the kitchen to cook food twice a day on firewood. </p>
<p>Hubballi: Aditya Raj Dandeli, a city-based social activist and businessman, has been offering free food to needy people for the last 5 days, even as many hotels have remained closed amid the gas crisis, in Hubballi. </p>.<p>Every day 1,000 to 1,500 people, including college students, women and labourers are fed lunch and dinner by him at his under-construction building on Shirur Park Road.</p>.<p>More than 600 people have their lunch and over 400 people their dinner here.</p>.<p>While lunch includes rice, sambar and curry, dinner consists of palak rice, bisibele bath, pulao and other rice items. People are happy with the service as several small hotels have been closed.</p>.<p>Prajwal, a student from Adaragunchi village, said he used to eat idli, rice or other items in small hotels at nominal prices at noon.</p>.<p>“Since they are closed now, paying more at big hotels is not affordable for me. The free meals here has helped me in the afternoons over the last 2 days,” the student said.</p>.<p>Dandeli said there were several students, labourers and outsiders in Vidyanagar area for various reasons. With the disruption in LPG supply, he came to know that many people were finding it difficult to get food at affordable rates. Hence, he thought of providing free meals to the needy. “God has given me the wherewithal to serve a few people. So, I thought of this endeavour. We are serving lunch from 1 pm to 4 pm and dinner between 8 pm and 10 pm,” he said.</p>.<p>The basement of the under-construction building has been used as a kitchen and the ground floor as dining hall.</p>.<p>Manoj of Sri Sai Caters, who has been assigned the responsibility of preparing the food, said he was assisted by five staff members, including two women, in the kitchen to cook food twice a day on firewood. </p>