Youth ensure no thirsty souls on the streets

Two youth have set aside their personal problems and are supplying packaged mineral water to those on the streets from the time lockdown was implemented to contain Covid-19.

For the two unemployed youth, Samad from Ullal and Yasir Angaragundi from Baikampady, the day begins with loading cases of packaged drinking water into their car. When others make a beeline to buy grocery shops, the youth hit the streets when the lockdown is relaxed between 6 am to 12 pm.

The youth begin to distribute the packaged mineral water from Talapady, near Karnataka-Kerala border, and end the day’s long drive in Baikampady.

“We initially begun by distributing water bottles (each bottle has 300 ml water) to thirsty policemen patrolling the roads and highways,” recollects Yasir.

Then on the request of policemen, they begun distributing water bottles to beggars and mentally challenged people found loitering on the streets. While distributing water they met non government organisations distributing food to the needy. They begun handing over cases of water bottles to such groups involved in mitigating the humanitarian crisis.

The duo distribute daily over 20 cases of packaged mineral water (worth Rs 2,500) and over 20 kg of Banana mainly to beggars.

“When the lockdown was announced, we were keen on helping the needy. But the fact that we were unemployed did not deter us from doing something to people during Corona crisis,” says Samad Ullal.

Samad owned a fishing business which was shut down after lockdown was announced.

Yasir owned a textile shop which he eventually closed it down post demonetisation.

The duo’s desire to be of help to other was nurtured by many donors.

Samad for the past six years also uses his car to drop patients at hospitals or pick them from hospitals and drop them at their houses, sometimes as far as Davangere.