Poor in villages still struggling to get a square meal

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, March 28

With the curfew entering its sixth day on Saturday, the poor are still facing hardships in arranging even one sqare meal a day. However, some good Samaritans have come forward to help in this time of crisis.

For instance, the panchayat and the management of a gurdwara at Lundewala village have even opened a donation box to provide some assistance to the needy. Similarly, some residents on Saturday distributed grocery items and medicines among the needy people at Gurusar village.

Though these good Samaritans are putting their lives at risk while coming out of their houses, the situation by and large is not satisfactory. Some poor people like 60-year-old Jangeer Kaur, a farm labourer of Fatuhiwala village, said she was left with nothing to eat. “My son and daughter-in-law passed away recently. Now, I am looking after my grandson. I have nothing else at my home apart from subsidised wheat,” she said, adding that the situation was similar in some other houses in the village.

Jaswinder Kaur of the same village also said she had only sugar at her house.

Stray animals were also starving in the district. Sensing the gravity of the situation, some social activists have now started providing them fodder.

MK Aravind Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Muktsar, said all arrangements were being made to provide assistance to the needy. “Those who have not received any support can contact us. Our priority is to provide assistance in towns because people living in rural areas usually rely on each other in such circumstances. However, it does not mean that we are not working to help them. Sarpanches have been given curfew passes as well.”

He said to stop hoarding and overcharging, some shopkeepers had been booked as well. “Still, if someone notices black-marketing, he or she can inform us. Strict action will be taken against the shopkeepers,” he said.

About people moving on roads, the DC said the duty magistrate would check their curfew passes. In the past about 24 hours, two FIRs were registered against those who defied the ban orders.