As mankind fight the unprecedented global catastrophe in recent times, different organisations and individuals in Darjeeling district are doing their bit for the poor and the needy, who have been hit the most by the COVID-19 situation and the lockdown.
Among the many other organisations and associations, the Siliguri Hotelier Welfare Association, a committee formed by all hotel owners of Siliguri, has been distributing food supplements to people in and around Siliguri since 5 April.
“We began from Ward-7 in Siliguri, where we distributed around 300 food packets. In and around Siliguri, we are distributing cooked food right from Fulbari to Salugara, which falls under the Siliguri Police Commissionerate area, and the number has crossed 5000 packets in this zone. In the Dooars, we disbursed ration to some 450 people in the Sonali Tea Estate. In the Leese River Tea Estate, we gave the packets to 250 families,” said Ujjal Ghosh, the joint secretary of the association.
“Yesterday, we visited Chamak Dangi and Lantang Basti where provided food packets to 200 to 250 families. Today, we are visiting ward number four and five,” he added. Tourism minister Gautam Deb, who accompanied the Association members yesterday and handed over the supplies to the people, said, “This is a naturally beautiful place situated in a peaceful environment. Since everybody is facing tremendous inconvenience at present, we are here to distribute some essential items to the villagers under the initiative taken by the Siliguri Hoteliers Welfare Association.”
On the other hand, the Darjeeling District Legal Aid Forum (DDLAF) has been rendering help to various categories of people in need, including victims of POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) and child-trafficking, senior citizens, daily wage labourers, third-gender communities, and others.
General secretary of the DDLAF, Amit Sarkar, said, “We are mainly focusing on the transgender and eunuch communities. We operate according to the surveys conducted by our team, and in coordination with the sub-divisional and local block administration. “Yesterday, along with the sub-divisional authority and the Siliguri Police Commissionerate, we reached out to 200 families, including 100 children in Siliguri Dagapur’s Bandrijyot village, where we distributed rice, milk and other chief sustenance items. Today and tomorrow, we plan to cover four blocks in Matigara, Naxalbari, Khoribari and a few tea garden areas for families of POCSO and traffic victims. “We started from Uttar Dinajpur covering Raiganj, Siliguri, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri.”
Prashant Singhal, the secretary of the Siliguri Youth Congress who has also been doing his bit, said they started the distribution on 2 April. “Till date, we have set up 15 camps in different places. Today, we are planning to head towards Bagdogra where we will be distributing Khichdi, vegetables, etc. “We have cooked food for around 400 people and some 100 to 200 kilos of raw vegetables to distribute among those in need. We have been covering different parts of the Siliguri Commissionerate area such as Salugara, Prakash Nagar, Shahid Nagar, Bhanu Nagar and Railway colony in Bagdogra.
Union Bank of India rises to occasion: Meanwhile, the Union Bank of India Regional Office, Siliguri, headed by the Regional Head, Deputy General Manager, Union Bank of India Hrishikesh Mishra, collected funds and distributed relief materials to around 200 needy people.
Under the joint aegis of Union Bank of India, Siliguri Region and NJP Social Worker Group, masks and food items were distributed among 200 people of Bharat Nagar, New Jalpaiguri area, today.
“Union Bank of India, Team Siliguri, is playing a leading role and trying to send across a message that during this period of lockdown, the bank stands with the common man and is ready to help the needy.
The regional head, Siliguri, requested the common people to follow the guidelines issued by the government, under which they maintain social distance, use masks, do not leave the house without reason, and wash hands regularly,” a bank official said. “All the officers and employees of Union Bank of India, Siliguri region, have contributed financial suuport in distribution of food items,” he said.