Nagpur relief work of distribution food grain and essential items package from the 11th of April.
Earlier it was like Nagamitra, Nagadeep will distribute it from Nagaloka to local needy areas.
Nagamitra contacted to Shramanmitra and including some local volunteers, who were already working and collecting food packets and reaching to the localities. We did work together for a week and whatever material we had purchased that was distributed within a week.
Before that I was trying arrange things locally.
Also I was trying to get help from government, I was calling officers of corporation and sending the list of needy people for cooked food, many officers those who were my friends were very cooperative in this situation they were reaching with cooked food and giving to the needy.
We have terrible experiences. First we went in the slum area, where I had work five years ago, I was surprised and shocked to visit, as I was expecting that the situation will be very much bad, but it wasn’t people have houses in good condition, now not by the tin shades but it was like cements slab houses, and lot more facilities, roads, lights, water, proper sanitation all facilities. I was really feeling great, people have changed their lives.
But it was all government made it in the schems, but inside their houses situation was the same, no jobs, no food, no money, they lost their jobs suddenly so no any stored food they have, they were living their life was like every day earn bring and cooked. Because such sudden situation things became worst.
Due to that nearly 30-35 men women rushed to our carries vehicles to snatch the pockets of food. I was completely horrified. I could manage to explain them that please make a que in distance then I will give you all, I had given nearly 15 packets and asked them to share within needy families.
They promised me to do so. I personally with my friends enter in to the localities where we identified really needy people, by little communication with them.
I was really confused and horrified with that situation, people were sending the list of needy people, one list I received was from migrant people who were making brooms and there were newly 45 families. There were children, women and old people, with that, I have distributed 45 food grain packets they were really needy. We all was pleased about that.
As the lockdown roads were empty, but whenever I stoped my vehicle to give that food for 45 families, I really don’t understand how people gathering and asking food. There were no residential areas and nothing but just 12 women and men came to me and just like begging, asking food. We don’t have any other ways to excuse we just given them.
In that work Divya joined with us and she also came with us in two places, first was the migrant labour camps, those who were stuck in Industrial area, MIDC Hingna, that was the extremely serious situation, when we reached with our vehicle, it was in the middle of localities, when we reach people run away, but when they came to know here is food supply they gather like 200-300 men and women, our team was scared and feeling horrified, because, they were not following any social distancing, so police may come and charge us.
But we could give 20-25 packets to the labours who were migrated. While coming back we identify some of the needy people and given them.
Next day again we had been in another localities there too we have distributed. Like that our work was going on whole month.
In the end of April we came to know that Government also giving some food grains in cheep rates. So we apply for it and we got nearly 1000kg Rice and same as 1000’kg wheat.
11th to 16th May 2020
On Monday I was supposed to go for survey, But could not get vehicle. So went on Tuesday, on Monday shamanmitra and two more friends went to distribute in the slum called Bangladesh, which is just behind vaishali Nagar Garden beyond the rail lines.
Area is extremely poor and completely isolated by many resources, people are doing their daily wages work and some are beggers, rack packers, widos, handicapped and with many more difficulties, so team have distributed nearly 30 relief packets, one of the area is Gitti khadan our Dhammamitra lives there, he found some need people where they given nearly 20 relief packets.
So on 11th almost 50 packets were distributed. Bangladesh and Gitti khadan.
12th I went for survey and I thought that there is no need to give any food packets, but when I entered in the areas like Naik talab and near by slums, by seeing our vehicles people came with hopes and asking for help. Telling their stories, it change my thinking completely , people lost their jobs, no earning at all, people crying and narrating truth, telling they getting some help from different people, but it is very hard to help family other expenses. People struggling with fear, with lots of personal difficulties, women used to go for domestic work, but now since last 40 days no job, no money, very hard life.
I shared you one video you might have seen it, children have changed their games, two sweet girls were making sanitizer, so hard to see such things. After sometime we distributed nearly 20 kits. And same again other areas given 20 kits.
Same day Parsioni and Khapakheda have given 15 kits.
So on 12th 55 kits have distributed Vaishali Nagar and friends colony slum and Parsioni, Khaparkheda.
On 13th we covered Hingna, Panchashil Nagar, Bhim nagar, Gond Mohala, Raipur nagar in that whole areas distributed 50 kits.
14th Samta Nagar, Dhammadeep Nagar, adivasi area, Panchpaoli, Barse Nagar. 50 kits have been given to needy families.
15th North Nagpur Gond mohala, extreme condition, we distributed 40 families.
People from near by wanjra lay out and hastinapur coming to my house and I have given nearly 20 peple.
So total distribution of relief packets 360 we have distributed. Also we had given 100kg rice and 100kg wheat to one of NGO who working very much closely with us. Also we have given to our workers kitchen staffs 6-7 people.
So like this we could distribute our all the food grain, now we can think that, what next do we like to supply that or not.
My observation is that SOME people are in extremely need. SOME have enough but still collecting food. I said it SOME because, some are widows, handicapped, old dependants, some are with their personal difficulties.
It’s matter of details survey. But as LOCAL volunteers are working with us, they really go and discuss with people get all the enquiries. ( Durga Dhoke) from Bangladesh Nagar extremely hard worker and very much clear with the people as she knows all the people so she identified it, she know who got things and who are in difficulties, she identified and convey us messages.
Life becoming harder for the all, so need support not only food but job too. Health issue also increased, some children’s changes their games too. As you might have seen my video, which I made it in one of the slum. That lovely girls age of ten making sanitizer. So heart touching experience.
But still people calling me and definitely others too, for food grains and other things
… Dh Nagamitra, Nagpur
