K Amarnath hates to sit at home idle just watching movies on the television and browsing the internet during the ongoing lockdown on account of Covid-19.
So, the software engineer with Cognizant Technologies in Telangana’s Cyberabad has chosen to spend his time serving food to thousands of poor who have lost their livelihood due to the 21-day lockdown.
“I thought the best way to reach out to one’s heart is through the stomach. So, I have taken up preparing food at a kitchen of my friend’s restaurant at Gachibowli which has since been closed and supplying breakfast and lunch to the hungry,” the 35-year-old, who has been on a paid holiday for the last two weeks, says.
Amarnath is one of the 300-odd volunteers associated with Society for Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC), a collaborative venture of information technology and IT-enabled services companies located in and around Madhapur and Cyberabad police stations.
Though the council is primarily meant for ensuring safety and security for the software hub using high-end technology, it has taken up social service during the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and is involved in various activities.
From serving food to the poor, distributing groceries and medicines in various localities, arranging ambulance services in emergency situations and educating people about the disease, besides helping the police in implementing the lockdown are some of the things they are doing.
The council has set up a Covid-19 control room on the premises of Cyberabad Police Commissionerate at Gachibowli, where around 40-50 software employees work in three shifts round-the-clock.
“On an average, we received 1000 to 1300 calls every day, from various parts of Hyderabad and Cyberabad, requesting us to supply food or groceries in a particular area for lunch or dinner, or from people who need ambulance service or even for supply of masks or medicines or water bubbles. Our volunteers quickly plunge into action and attend to the needs of the people, with the help of the police,” Chinnam Rajasekhar, an engineering graduate who had worked for a VFX firm in Madhapur till recently, says.
On average, the council supplies food packets to around 25,000 people in different parts of the city.
“On my part, I supply food to around 1500-2000 people. The menu comprises flavoured rice made of tomato or brinjal or potato or even pickles, besides curd rice. Every day, I also supply breakfast like Vada or Mysore Bajji, to police personnel and also SCSC volunteers at the control room,” Amarnath says.
“From tomorrow, we are planning to supply 10,000 buttermilk sachets to the people every day,” he adds.
Rajasekhar, whose father has a job in an ordnance factory near Sangareddy, works from 9am to 11pm at the control room and also looks after issuance of vehicle passes, preparation of schedules and route maps for the distribution of food and other material the following day. The 30-year-old also replies to emails from people who have queries.
“The team of volunteers has been doing excellent service. Many software engineers are working from home for their offices during the morning hours and coming to the voluntary service in the evenings. Hats off to their dedication,” Krishna Yedula, centre head of software firm Virtusa and the secretary of SCSC, says.
Apart from people like Amarnath, SCSC has also tied up with the Ramakrishna Mission and NGOs like Akshaya Patra for the preparation of food and procuring groceries.
“Apart from huge contributions from our own software companies, we have been getting liberal donations from a cross-section of people and that is serving our purpose,” Yedula says.
Cyberabad police commissioner V C Sajjannar said a large number of police personnel belonging to law and order and traffic wings were working along with SCSC volunteers in distribution of grocery bags and food packets, water bottles, buttermilk packets, vegetables and other essential items to the needy.
“Our volunteers are also looking into the complaints of violation of home quarantine norms, social distancing rules and lockdown orders and are reporting to the control room. We advise people to break the chain of coronavirus by staying at home, staying safe and rule-bound during the lockdown period,” Sajjannar says.
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