Amma Canteens keep pot boiling for curfew-hit

Anticipating shortage in food availability as the hotels would not be functioning, the Greater Chennai Corporation had kept all its 407 Amma Canteens open to serve the homeless and those staying alone in the city. “Food we prepare were sold out before 8 am. On other days, we would be selling food even after 9 am. Today it was a bigger crowd,” said Sivashankari, an Amma Canteen worker.

Apart from the Amma Canteen staff, a team of doctors were deployed in control at the Ripon Buildings, who clarified doubts and assuaged fears of residents.

“Till Sunday evening, we received 28 panic calls from the public. Some sought diet tips for their kids and ways to safeguard them from contracting the virus. We explained everything,” said a Chennai Corporation official. The civic body had already requested the public to dial 044 25385420 or to call civic body hospitals to mitigate their doubts on the disease.

Similarly, the Chennai Corporation workers conducted sanitisation drive on the streets using jet rodding machines.

The corporation staff also reached out to the homeless and provided food for them. According to an official, more than 2,200 people in different shelter homes were provided food, as well as several others, left alone in the city.

“We usually get at least 20 grievance calls from Police Control Room. But today (Sunday), there was just one call and that too about burning of garbage. Otherwise, no grievance was reported. There were fewer visitors to the police station too, said S Inspector Sankaranarayanan of SRMC (Porur) police station.

“After 5 pm, some vehicles ventured out, but we instructed them to return since the curfew has been

extended till 5 am on Monday.”

Teynampet police station, with residences of many VIPs under its jurisdiction, received just a grievance call till the evening, though all the personnel had been asked to report on time. “We had to prepare lunch and bring it to the office since no restaurants were open today. That was unusual as we never carried food to work. Otherwise, everything went off smoothly,” said a sub-inspector.

The ambulance staff too had a normal day. A staffer with a 104 ambulance provider service control room said, “We had a normal day and worked as per our regular shift timings.”