india

Updated: Apr 12, 2020 13:05 IST

If you decide to help someone in the hour of crisis, financial constraint will not pose any roadblock to this ‘will’. Fifty-one-year-old Goutam Das of Tripura, who earns Rs 200 daily, proved this right.

Das, a rickshaw cart driver, had savings of Rs 10,000, of which he spent nearly Rs 8,000 to give rice and pulses to the poor amid Covid-19 lockdown.

Das’ wife passed away a few years ago; he now lives alone in a mud house at Sadhutilla village, near capital Agartala. His children live separately.

Like many others, Das also got worried when a 21-day lockdown was announced. He though about its impact on the poor people and daily-wage labourers and decided to help them as per his capacity.

“I was very much worried after lockdown was announced. Before lockdown, I used to earn Rs 200 on an average. I had savings of Rs 10,000 which I had managed from my small earnings. Thinking about my livelihood in lockdown, I simultaneously thought of poor families and daily wage labour like me. Then I thought to help them in whatsoever manner possible from my side,” Das said.

Using the money he saved, Das bought rice and pulses and poured them into small packets. Then he took out his rickshaw cart and started distributing these packets to the poor without any cost.

According to Das, he has so far distributed such packets to at least 160 families.

“I spent Rs 8,000 as of now to buy rice and pulses for poor people like me. I understand that many people find it tough to arrange for food during lockdown. I have plan to continue if there is an extension of the lockdown,” he said.