Delhi: For Poor Who Can't Find Nearest Gurudwara, Sikh Community Launches 'Langar On Wheels'

The Sikh community have been at the forefront with relentlessly helping people to tide over the crisis— and their 'seva' during coronavirus pandemic is a shining example of their community spirit.

While the world is grappling with despair due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Sikh Community in Delhi is striving to ensure that no one sleeps empty stomach.

With 'Langar on wheels', the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee serves an estimated fifteen thousand people living in Jhuggi-Jhopri clusters, railways stations, bus stands, rain shelters and pavements every day.

The Committee said that even though the lockdown restrictions have been eased, unemployment and meagre savings have pushed people's lives into an abysmal state. It is therefore inevitable for the community to step up to the changing social scenario in providing support.

News18 quoted Committee President Manjinder Singh Sirsa sharing details of the food on wheels service to feed the needy.

He said that 15 vans leave Gurdwara Bangla Sahib which is situated in the heart of the national capital in the wee hours of the day and serves food to people at various places across the city.

The vans are equipped with banners to help the people identify arrangements of food and water. The vans are stationed at different places like railway stations and bus stands for accessibility.

Those in need are served 'langar' at a convenient place with social distancing.

"They will be left in a lurch if proper food is not provided to them," Manjinder Singh Sirsa said,

He also said that the vow was taken after several NGOs and institutions, which were providing food to the needy amid lockdown, withdrew their services.

The Committee President added that the initiative has been started for one month but will be extended till the economic activities are restored and the under-privileged are able to sustain themselves.

Answering on the quantity of food being prepared, he said, the community remains connected with the Sikh leaders, government officials and resident welfare associations of the respective areas to gauge the quality of the food.

He added that additional food will be rushed to any place if there is a demand.

Harmeet Singh Kalka, General Secretary of the committee, said that the decision to start 'Langar on Wheels' has been taken as it was 'impractical' for most of the poor people to find the nearest Gurdwara.

"Now, we have decided to go where the people are," he said.

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