Voluntary organisations provide free food to returnees

Our Correspondent

UNA, JUNE 2

While the government departments, particularly Health, Police, Revenue and Civil Supplies, have been on the forefront as Covid warriors, a number of social organisations and volunteers are also doing selfless service in this need of hour in Una district.

An example is the free food service provided to the stranded Himachalis who reached Una from different parts of the country by special trains. Not only the passengers, about 400 officials and volunteers on duty at the railway station making arrangements for the returnees were also provided food.

In all, seven special trains reached the Una railway station, bringing 4,845 passengers from Karnataka, Mumbai, Pune, Goa, Ahmedabad and Delhi. “Providing packed food to the passengers on their arrival in the state was our priority since food service was not available in trains,” a senior official of the district administration said.

Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar said the administration could have made food packets on their own by hiring caterers, but the local organisations wanted to do their bit.

To start with, the ‘Guru Ka Langar’ group, which serves free meals to patients’ attendants at the Una district hospital every day, volunteered to provide food packets containing cooked vegetables, chapattis, fruit juice packets, paper plates and napkins. They prepared meals at the Mahadev Temple in Ajnoli village for the passengers and officials of the first two trains.

“The Bhadsali Centre of the Radha Swami Satsang Beas also took part in serving food,” said the DC, adding that their volunteers served passengers reaching Una in four trains, besides feeding all officials on duty. The Una unit of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh also chipped in with food service for passengers and officials deployed, he said.

Photo: Volunteers prepare food for train passengers at the Bhadsali Centre of Radha Swami Satsang Beas.

Photos : RAJESH SHARMA