Kerala: Facebook effort to ensure food on hartal days

KANNUR: A few youngsters based in Thalassery are planning a novel initiative  to provide food to the needy, especially on hartal days when hotels  remain shut. The food will be stored in a machine to be installed at Narangappuram, near the new bus stand here.  It will be opened to the public on January 1 and those who are short of cash can also avail of the service. The Facebook group, ‘Thalassery Kootam,’ has received the support of a restaurant chain in Thalassery.  The hotel would provide food for 10 people daily and also the space for installing the machine.  It will also maintain the machine, said Naveen Madhav, one of the group administrators.

“Images from the CCTV cameras will be connected to the phones of all the 15 admins of the group to check the wastage of food. At least  10 per cent of the deserving people would  benefit  from the initiative. We have also sought the help of Thalassery police station for surveillance of the CCTV cameras,” said  Naveen. The group has more than 8,000 members who are supporting the project. Once the list of all the prospective sponsors are screened, they would be contacted,  Naveen said. The idea to set up a machine to provide food came up after hundreds of people were found starving in the afternoon during a hartal in Kannur two months ago.