Police form central pool of essentials

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, April 13

In a bid to ensure efficient and effective supply of food and essential items to all needy persons in a coordinated manner during the lockdown, the Police Commissionerate, Ludhiana, the Police District Khanna and Police District Ludhiana (Rural) have created a centralised food pool for optimum allocation and distribution.

A police spokesperson said the pool system encompasses the Village Police Officers (VPOs), NGOs, donors, volunteers, besides religious organisations and social welfare groups, in tandem with the civil administration. The pool would get inputs from field officers who would regularly map demand and supply areas, with the ‘Resource Pooling and Distribution Mechanism’ synergising the distribution process.

WhatsApp groups have been created by the VPOs to liaise with the donors to avoid any duplication in distribution of foodstuff. On an average, each group has 60 to 70 persons of the areas to streamline the process of delivering food (dry ration and cooked food), medicines, sanitary pads, sanitisers, masks and soap. Village or ward-wise requirement would be assessed a day in advance, which would then be consolidated at the ACP/DSP level. Distribution of load of ration received from all donors would be done by NGOs, along with VPOs concerned, who would also ensure adherence to all social distancing norms, said the spokesperson.

It was stated that in Ludhiana, 125 NGOs were brought together on one WhatsApp group to prepare langar, based upon the requirement, and the same would then be distributed with police help. The essentials would be collected through SHOs and volunteers from 400 different pockets of Ludhiana where poor people were residing.

Similarly, Khanna has been divided into different zones. Various donors and social welfare societies were coming forward to donate food and essential items to the needy people. The date and time schedule would be planned and specified area assigned to the specific social welfare bodies to donate essential goods and cooked food to the needy people to avoid wastage.