Friends shine in time of Covid crisis

Palanpur: It has been two full months since they began feeding the migrant labourers walking back to their natives and the poor severely hit by the coronavirus lockdown across the country. However, these 10 friends from Kanodar village, 10km from Palanpur on Ahmedabad- Abu Road highway, have pledged to continue feeding the poor migrants till the last one walks past their village.
Kosarbhai Aghariya and his friends would meticulously place a table with food every day for the migrant taking the highway route to reach their native villages in different states.
They started a few days after the lockdown was announced by distributing uncooked rice and dal along with some oil and spices to the group of migrants passing by their village that falls on the main Delhi-Mumbai highway.
“After few days of distributing uncooked food, we realised that how these people would manage to cook food is such scorching heat. So we decided to provide them with cooked food,” Aghariya told TOI.
Currently, these friends are paying from their own pockets for the food and are feeding at least 175 people daily.
When asked how they have been managing the financial burden, quick came the reply, “Our main concern is what would happens if we do not help these helpless people who have been left to fend for themselves. They are walking miles after miles into an uncertain future. If we do not help them, it would be a tragedy.”
These good Samaritans have been following all guidelines and norms of the government. “We place the ready to eat food packets, water bottles on the table and the migrants on foot or in their vehicles collect it while maintain safe distancing,” said Aghariya.
The good work initiated by these friends have attracted many villagers to join them. People have started coming forward to donate food grains and other provisions.
The group also feeds some of the poor in nearby villages. “There a few self-respecting people who refuse to take the provisions and would rather starve to death than accept charity. We convince them to take the ration now and ask them to pay us later after the crisis is over,” said Aghariya.
He added, “Our work has been purely voluntary. We have never asked anyone for donations. This service is to help the humanity.”