Community kitchens under the Kozhikode Corporation have supplied food kits to over 3.75 lakh people in the one month since the lockdown came into effect.
The kits being distributed to the needy through volunteers include around 40,000 breakfast kits, over 2 lakh lunch kits, and one lakh dinner kits.
The 12 community kitchens set up in various parts of the city in the initial days of the lockdown catered mainly to the homeless and those stranded in the city, besides those living in lodges and other facilities.
The beneficiaries were identified with the help of councillors and other local representatives and were approved by a committee consisting of MP and MLAs and representatives of all political parties.
The kitchens distributed around 9,500 kits a day in the initial days. However, the number has dropped to around 6,500 now after undeserving persons were removed from the list of beneficiaries. Subsequently, the number of kitchens under the corporation was brought down to nine. However, there are two other kitchens which are being run by voluntary organisations and four by the Kudumbashree in the city.
Besides, the requirement for lunch kits had dipped considerably recently thanks to Ramadan fasting.
Meanwhile, the special bank account that funds the kitchens is receiving generous contributions from the public. “We have received ₹6.37 lakh in the account so far. Also, we have received 17,030 kg of rice, 4,684 kg of groceries, and 20,272 kg of vegetables at the collection centre at Tagore Hall,” Corporation Secretary Binu Francis said, adding that the civic body had hence been able to run the kitchens without a hitch.
Apart from the kitchens, the contributions also fund food grain and vegetables being supplied to the 12,000-odd migrant workers in the city being accommodated in over 1,200 camps.
“So far, we have provided them [migrants] enough supplies to last till May 3. The kitchens will also function till then,” the secretary said.
