Srinagar, Aug 4: Though volunteers have established Langars (community kitchens) at several places for patients and attendants in Srinagar hospitals, they are finding it difficult to distribute the food in the wake of curfew.
 “It is easy to collect funds and material and get the food cooked in the localities. But because of curfew we are finding it difficult to transport the food from our locality to any hospital,” said a volunteer from Hamza Colony, Bemina.
 He said the volunteers used handcarts and load carriers to ferry food to the SKIMS Medical College Hospital Bemina. “Still it is an uphill task because of the curfew in place and the fact that security forces don’t permit civilians to move on roads,” he said, adding, “But somehow we manage. Had curfew not been in place, it would have been easy for us to transport and distribute the food.”
 There are over 200 attendants in the SKIMS Medical College Hospital who are being supplied food by people from 20 colonies at Bemina. The locals have devised a mechanism, though not in an organized manner, to supply food to the hospital. “There is a lot of coordination among volunteers from different colonies, who communicate among themselves. Suppose if people from one colony bring food today, another does it tomorrow so that there is no overlapping. Everything is done in a disciplined manner,” the volunteers said.
 Same is the situation at other places. Despite strict restrictions, the volunteers from different localities manage to organize langars in various hospitals, including SMHS Hospital, Lalla Ded and SK Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura. The local Masjids at various places have also activated their Bait-ul-Maal (Islamic donation collection mechanism) to help the poor and needy in their respective areas. “If we can not contribute to the movement by way of protests or other means, we can at least arrange food for the needy,” said Mehraj-ud-din, a volunteer.
 Attendants expressed deep gratitude to the volunteers. “I am stuck in the hospital for past six days. Had it not been for the friendly local people, I have had to starve, for there is no food available in the hospital canteen,” said Abdul Hamid, an attendant at SMHS Hospital.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 4 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 4 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 5 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST