The ‘Sambal,’ a leading social organisation of the district on Sunday began ‘BHOJAN’ programme for free meals for the patient attendants of VIMSAR Burla.
“The attendants will be given meals totally free of cost on every Sunday as they don’t get this facility from any source on the day,” said Ramdas Panda and Subrat Panda, who organise the programme.
Normally, poor people who can’t afford to costly treatment in nursing homes or private hospitals come to VIMSAR Burla for treatment from far- off places. But on Sundays, they face food problems as Ahaar Kendra remains closed on the day. Hence, they have to spend extra money or even some of them remain hungry for the whole day. When members of the Sambal came to know this, they chalked out an action plan on how to help these people, said the sponsors.
Nearly 800 people were fed on the very first day, they added.
Two patient attendants Suru Sahu and Kiaphula Sahu of Harekrishnapur in Jharsuguda district inaugurated the BHOJAN programme in presence of Padmashree Jitendriya Harpal, Subrat Panda, Bipin Bihari Panda, Malay Dash and Nihal Singh among others.
A good number of youths, social organizations and activists from Burla, Hirakud, Bargarh and Sambalpur were present to encourage the organisers. The food menu was rice, dalma and mango khata.