Hyderabad: Community kitchens are a common feature in India when the question of feeding a large mass of people is involved. You can call it the Langar or for that reason, a Bhandara.
But, COVID-19 is different, so is the nationwide Lockdown.
And in this extraordinary time, a different version of community kitchen has come to the rescue of hundreds of hungry and needy, mostly in the southern part of India — the public canteens.
Annapurna Canteens of Hyderabad
Hyderabad, one of the first places to report a Coronavirus positive case, is witness to some 150 Annapurna canteens across the city and Greater Hyderabad municipal areas serving free food to the hungry.
On a normal day, a lunch at these Annapurna canteens will set you dear of Rs 5 per meal. But, now these Annapurna Canteens are turning out to be saviours for the homeless and the poor, serving free food. From March 29, these canteens have also started serving dinner.
Distributing approximately 40,000-plus meals every day, these state sponsored canteens run by GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) intends to increase the number with only one aim - not to leave anyone hungry.
Amma Canteens in Chennai
Tamil Nadu is currently witnessing a huge spurt in COVID-19 positive cases, thanks to those travelling for a religious congregation to New Delhi. But, the Amma Canteens of Chennai are a resolute picture, a sense of relief for the poor and hungry, and even the migrant labourer.
Run by women of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and supervised by municipal corporations, these subsidised government-aided Amma Canteens are geared up to meet the need of the hour.
With no dedicated mode of transport earmarked for the Amma Canteen runners, workers are taking all pains to report to duty religiously amid the Lockdown. Adhering to all safety measures and laid down guidelines of using masks, sanitisers and maintaining social distancing among themselves and the eaters, the Canteen-ladies are turning to be messiahs for the poor and the destitute.
Amma Canteens’ menu includes Idli priced at Re 1 and curd rice at Rs 3. Pongal and other varieties like sambhar rice and lemon rice are provided for Rs 5 on any given day.
Be it the Chennai Floods, the Vardha Cyclone and now COVID-19 Lockdown, the Amma Canteens of Chennai have always remained the dark horses.
Indira Canteens of Bengaluru
Bengaluru’s Indira Canteens have started working in three shifts to provide maximum support to the hungry during this Lockdown. Operating in three shifts from 7.30 to 10 in the morning, 12.30 to 3 in the afternoon and 7.30 to 9 in the evening, these canteens are providing food free of cost to vendors, labourers and the poor.
Other than cooked meals, the Karnataka state government has also taken the initiative of supplying food packets through various organisations. Both eaters and staff have been asked to maintain cleanliness at the canteen premises. Proper use of masks, hand gloves, soap and sanitisers have been made mandatory for those who serve food. Eaters have been asked to keep safe distance taking all precautionary measures maintaining a queue.
Inspired by the Amma Canteens, Karnataka government started the Indira Canteens on August 15, 2017. Much on the lines of Amma Canteen Bengaluru’s Indira Canteens cater food at the cost of Rs 10. It is now free.
Andhra’s Anna Canteens
The erstwhile TDP government of Andhra Pradesh had opened their version of Amma Canteens, which they christened as Anna Canteens. These subsidised state-run chain of eateries feed somewhere around 2.15 lakh people every day. A meal priced at just Rs 5 comes as a big relief to daily wage workers and many others.
Some procedural hiccups had put a brake on the functioning of these affordable eateries, but with the Lockdown in place, the Anna Canteens will surely bring succour to many.
Kudumbashree Canteens of Kerala
The God’s own Country was one of the first places where COVID-19 positive patients were traced in India. Amid the Lockdown, the Left Democratic Front government in the state has set some glaring examples in containing the spread of the disease and is one of the pioneers in the Break the Chain protocol.
The state government has announced free nutritious food for all and is heavily leaning on the 1074 Kudumbashree Canteens under the Kudumbashree Mission. Run by Self-Help Groups, these canteens provide breakfast, lunch, tea, coffee and snacks and other ethnic food items at affordable rates to the poor.
Kudumbashree Canteens are now the nerve centres for providing free food to the hungry as well as quarantined people in the southern slice of India, amid the Lockdown.
(ETV Bharat Report)
