Mumbai: Mira-Bhayandar NGO helps pandemic-hit dabbawalas with cycles, ration

The NGO has promised to provide another 150 cycles to Mumbai’s dabbawalas. Pic/Hanif Patel

Continuing to help those who have been badly affected by the pandemic-induced lockdowns, Mira-Bhayandar-based NGO - Making The Difference - has distributed 150 cycles among Mumbai's dabbawalas, and has promised to give them another 150 in the coming days.

The NGO has been working through the restrictions to provide food and medical supplies to the affected people. They have supplied 1.75 lakh dry ration kits to various communities, and distributed ration among 5,000 dabbawalas. Acknowledging their contribution towards the society, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar and Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation Mayor Jyotsana Hasnale awarded National President of the NGO Deepak Vishwakarma this year.

Speaking to mid-day, Vishwakarma said, "Everyone was upset during the lockdown but the dabbawalas were the most affected. With the help of the people associated with the NGO we decided to help the dabbawalas and provided them ration every month. Our organisation has been distributing ration to 5,000 dabbawalas for the past nine months." When the entire country was struggling for oxygen cylinders, the NGO made 761 small and 250 large oxygen cylinders available. Vishwakarma had also opened an Oxygen Connect centre with 117 basic cylinders. They even provided 250 cycles to the dabbawalas.

Speaking about the NGO's contribution, Ramdas Karvande, president of the Mumbai Dabbawala Association and treasurer Ashok Kumbhar said, "The NGO has been providing dry ration for about 5,000 dabbawalas, medicine for Covid patients, including Remdesivir injections, for the past nine months. Due to the restrictions, our business had come to a standstill. Cycles of hundreds of dabbawalas got spoiled, as they were not being used. Now that the business has started again, cycles were a huge requirement. Vishwakarma had promised to give new cycles to about 300 dabbawalas, out of which we have received 150. They have assured to give the remaining soon."