No food at many Delhi shelters

Despite the Arvind Kejriwal government’s tall claims of providing a cooked meal every day to four lakh people at 800 centres across Delhi, there are reports of a severe food shortage in several areas. Two dozen daily wagers staying at night shelters in Greater Kailash claimed they have not got even a single meal from the Delhi government since the lockdown began. A Congress councillor in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation demanded midmeals must be delivered to students at their homes in the lockdown period.

A resident of Sriram Colony, Khajuri Khas, Mukesh Ahmed, in a social media post with local residents claimed there was a severe shortage of food and alleged that the government distributed food for only 200 people in place of 2,400 people in the area. “For a family of seven, the government gave 250 grams of food,” a woman said.

Similarly, a daily wager staying at a night shelter near Mount Kailash Apartments said 24 people, including two security guards, are staying in the shelter, but have not got any help or food from the government. Delhi BJP spokesman Pravin Shankar Kapoor has taken care of the shelter home’s occupants and got food from the first day of the lockdown. “Food has been arranged for the occupants, which will last till the first week of April,” said Mr Kapoor.

Mr Kejriwal said last week that arrangements were in place for providing food to four lakh people across the city. Government sources denied any shortage of food for the needy. “There is no shortage, but may be in some places the administration has failed to get the real estimate of people who need food,” a senior official said.