To ensure supply of food to the poor, especially the homeless, 17 community kitchens are being set up in different parts of the district.
While three kitchens will come up in Tiruchi city, remaining 14 have been established in rural areas. Each kitchen is equipped to offer food to 500 to 1,000 persons every day.
Collector S. Sivarasu told The Hindu that all 14 panchayat unions would have a community kitchen each. Each of them could prepare food for 1,000 persons. Depending upon the need, the capacity could be increased. Besides kitchen, utensils, groceries and other essential commodities have also been arranged.
“We are in a position to open the community kitchen any time. We have sought report from the field officials to assess the demand. If need arises, we will open the kitchens immediately,” says Mr. Sivarasu.
In order to avoid too many people in a place, he said that foods would be packed in boxes so as to be distributed to the needy one after another. Foods would not be served in a common place. At least one metre of personal distancing would be followed when distributing food packets.
NGOs' assistance
The Collector said that a few non-government organisations have also come forward to distribute food packets to the needy. Services of like-minded agencies and individuals too would be utilised. The method of utilising their services was being worked out.
He said all 11 Amma Unavagams in the district had seen more crowds for the last two days. The quantum of food items being prepared in them has been doubled to meet the demand. All staff members of the Unavagams have been sensitised on the need to maintain personal hygiene and of the premises.
