AAI, UNDP & CRPF join hands for food distribution during COVID-19 crisis:
Guwahati, May 1: AAI, UNDP & CRPF distribute food during lockdown. Support During Pandemic (SDP) to the local community has been extended by the Airports Authority of India, UNDP, and jawans of CRPF during nationwide lockdown due to the Corona crisis.
It’s an emergency food relief and community-oriented psychosocial drive, which was rolled out across Rani Development Block after the pandemic resulted in difficulties to the common man.
The Airports Authority of India at North East Region and UNDP had reached out to 321 households within Pub Rajapara Youth Club (250 households) and Kothalguri Village (71 households), across the Chandubi Lake belt in last few days.
Distributing the ration and food kits, Sanjeev Jindal, Regional Executive Director, AAI said that Airports in NE are equally worried for the people who have suffered due to lockdown, especially the population living around our airports. All the Airports in the region are extending help to the needy by distributing food grain, dry ration, and masks so that people, he added.
“With the help of UNDP, AAI is identifying gap areas in around 15 villages of Rani Block where we are providing healthcare services, sanitation equipment, livelihood tools and related items that could benefit their lives’, Jindal said.
“On the occasion of International Labour Day, we have targeted to distribute food grain to about 1000 families who are affected due to the Corona crisis. Other airports in the region have also aimed to provide about 10 tonnes of food grain in their locality covering about 1000 families and to date, AAI in NE has distributed about 120 tonnes of rice,” Jindal said.
He also lauded the efforts put in by the local administration and volunteers for the smooth conduction of this camp.
The communities within these villages are mostly dependent on agriculture, daily market, piggery, fishing and adventure sports, and eco-tourism. Along with the pandemic, recent outbreaks of diseases within poultry and piggery, has sabotaged the daily sustenance of the families.
With the anchoring support of the 175 BN CRPF, Rani, and an accommodating environment through music as a psychosocial tool, the SDP has completed its third drive, with a total reach-out to 821 households to date. The final drive of the first phase was planned for May 1, with the families solely dependent on the brick factories across North Guwahati.
Authorities have identified two more vulnerable pockets (villages) at Rani which is in urgent requirement of food supplies. Through a survey conducted by the CRPF, AAI, UNDP, and CRPF have been able to identify 190 households in Mairapur Village, 230 households in Jayantipur Village.
Moreover, the drive will also try to reach out to stagnant labor communities within the block. With this plan, starting the drive together, marks the last drive of the first phase of distribution.
This SDP Drive has been possible due to prompt support from all stakeholders and has led to a successful completion of the first phase of a mission, reaching out to some of the most remote and vulnerable pockets across the block.
A similar food grain distribution was carried at Tezpur Airport on April 29, which included Food relief materials in the surrounding areas of Holeshwar and Goraimari villages to the needy people and who have not received any support. A total of 1600 people have been identified and commenced, approx. 500 people have been provided food relief materials.
Airport Director, Tezpur Airport R N Singh said that Food relief materials donated by Airports Authority at Tezpur in Assam has covered the surrounding areas of Holeshwar, Goraimari, Dekargoan, Blocks, and Dhekiajuli which aimed to the needy people and communities without any docs and who are not receiving any support so far.
“Such people of 1600 in numbers have been identified and distributed food relief at a total cost of Rs 5 lakh,” he said.
Airports Authority of India in NE has also distributed free face masks to some of these individuals apart from foodgrain, dry ration, relief materials, etc targeted to make 25000 face masks from unused uniform cloth.
AAI UNDP & CRPF distribute food during lockdown. An excellent move.
