Amitabh Bachchan Sets Example by Distributing 2000 Food Packets Daily to the Needy across Mumbai

The Bollywood fraternity is leaving no stone unturned in providing aid to the needy and the medico workers in these tough times of COVID-19. Many notable actors like Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Kartik Aaryan, Alia Bhatt, Hrithik Roshan, Vicky Kaushal, among others have donated their contributions to the PM Cares Fund.

Amitabh Bachchan had pledged to provide monthly ration to one lakh households of daily wage workers associated with the All India Film Employees Confederation.

Besides this kind gesture, Big B is now distributing 2000 food packets daily to the needy across Mumbai. He took to his blog to share details of the same and also added that the process has its own problems as well.

Meanwhile, on the personal front .. 2000 packets of food are being given each day for lunch and dinner at various locations over the city .. and the larger bags of a monthly provision about 3000 bags, which would take care of at 12,000 mouths is in process.

- Amitabh Bachchan

Specifying the locations where the food packets are being sent, he shared:

Most of the feeding is taking place at the Haji Ali dargah, the Mahim dargah, the Babulnath Temple, the slum in Bandra and a few other slums in the interior North of the city .. it is so difficult to cover as many as we may want to .. but..

- Amitabh Bachchan

He went on to talk about the challenges he is facing during this process because of the travel restrictions caused due to the lockdown. 

The process has its problems .. the lockdown has now made it illegal to step out of the house and living areas .. so even though I have been able to get the bags ready its transportation causes problems. One cargo vehicle can carry 50-60 bags of the essential package .. so 3000 packages would involve so many more vehicles .. the vehicles is not the problem, it's their movement that is restricted. The authorities are saying that when the package arrives, people, especially those in the slums for whom the material is specially packed, have not eaten for 3-4 days and they rush for the vehicle to pick up their package, which almost causes a stampede and the Police cannot allow that to happen, with the conditions of ‘social distancing’.

- Amitabh Bachchan

The actor also stated that he gives instructions to carry out the process the right way. 

Even where the daily food is being distributed I have insisted that proper lines are formed keeping distances from one another .. the volunteers, thank the Lord are working tirelessly in extreme conditions to make sure of its proper functioning .. it is a tough task .. but what can be done .. the cues are large and with each passing day are getting bigger and bigger.

- Amitabh Bachchan

Appreciating the people associated with the process, he concluded:

We try to provide .. but getting the provision to reach the needy is an exercise! Something will work out I hope and pray .. I get a video and pictures of all the procedures happening each hour so I can give instructions .. which is a great help .. and of course the team that works day and night is incredibly diligent.

- Amitabh Bachchan