Covid-19 lockdown: Mangaluru hotelier distributes free food to poor

MANGALURU: A restaurant owner in the city has not stopped his service of feeding poor everyday, ever since the lockdown was announced. Hari Prasad Shetty, who owns a restaurant at Pandeshwar in the city, has been cooking food sufficient for more than 500 people in his restaurant for the past 50 days only to distribute it among poor.
Knowing the selfless service of Shetty, officials of the fire and emergency department too joined hands. They have not only provided one vehicle for the supply of food, but also contributed by donating rice and money to him.
Shetty, who owns Hotel Shri Ganesh at Pandeshwar, told TOI that while he cooks rice and sambar in the kitchen of his restaurant, fire brigades from the Pandeshwar Fire Station and others help him in packing and distribution.
“Today, May 14, is the 50th day of our free food distribution. We have been distributing rice and sambar to homeless people near State Bank bus stand and Town Hall in the city. In fact, I began this by giving food to 20 people on the first day. Later, we found more people in need of food in the city. Now the demand increased that there were days when more than 800 people reached State Bank bus stand and Town Hall for food. On an average, we have been serving food for 500 people in the afternoon every day,” Shetty said.
On financial support for the expenses, Shetty said, “Initially I used the rice kept aside for temples to cook food for poor. My restaurant is located very close to the Fire Station. Officials including chief fire officer G Thippeswamy are impressed with my food distribution initiative. In addition to contributing rice and money, they also help me in packing and distributing food. They also have lent a vehicle for the purpose. While fire stations of Moodbidri and Bantwal too have donated voluntarily, owner of my restaurant building Sai Giridhar has supported me by waiving off the rent for April and May,” he added.