Pune citizen groups spring into action with ration kits for needy amid coronavirus lockdown

PUNE: Citizen groups from across the city have come forward to help people during the lockdown in every possible way -- from providing ration kits at the collector’s office to providing masks and sanitisers.

Vaishali Patkar, a member of Aundh Vikas Mandal, said that citizen groups from Pashan, Bavdhan, Kalyani Nagar and other areas were active since March 10, when the first two cases were detected in Pune. 

“We started creating awareness about social distancing, helping senior citizens in the vicinity by providing essential commodities and contributing 3,000 ration kits to the collector’s office,” Patkar said. 

“We connected with women self-help groups to make masks to be distributed. We are working in our areas to minimise commuting,” she said.

Satya Natrajan of Kalyani Nagar, who is a part of this group said, “We make sure that whatever ration kits or commodities are there, we use logistic channel designed by the administration -- the collector’s office or the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) -- so that it reaches the beneficiaries and there is no duplication. We have also started ‘help your neighbour’ campaign so that volunteers can help to minimise commuting.” 

“On behalf of our area and Wanawadi Residents Forum (WRF), we have contributed 90 ration kits given by residents,” Maithili Manakawad, Secretary of WRF said. She said they also gave the ration kits to workers living in school shelters made by PMC.

Citizen groups from Pashan, Bavdhan, Kalyani Nagar and other areas were active since March 10, when the first two cases were detected in Pune.