After langars for the hungry & helpless, Sikh community in talks to feed GMC visitors

Panaji: The extent of the woes of those stranded due to the lockdown first struck managing committee members of the Gurudwara Shri Guru Singh Sabha, Betim, when they found staff of some hotels in Calangute left fending for themselves on the roads. Since then, the gurudwara’s service has fed thousandswaiting at state shelters for a train back home.

President of Gurudwara Shri Guru Singh Sabha, Betim, Harvinder Singh Dham, said that they now are in the process of planning with the state government to provide free food service throughout the year to relatives of patients at Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim and Asilo Hospital in Mapusa. “We want to provide this service through the year. Patients are served food inside the hospital, but what about the relatives? We also want to provide the service to the many waiting at OPDs for treatment ,” said Dham.

“After the lockdown, we saw that some hotel staff and chefs were left on the roads as hotelsasked them to vacate their rooms suddenly. We provided food and shelter to these 10 to 20 people during this period, and also helped with money for their tickets back home,” said Dham.

“We operate the ‘langar for hunger’ vehicle which provided service without asking for a single rupee from the government or anyone else. People may donate out of their own will, but we never ask for funds. At present, we serve around 1,500 persons a day free of cost. We also provide snacks and water to those waiting outside the collectorate for travel permits,” he said.