New Delhi: Amidst the unprecedented COVID-19 attack, a 21-day nationwide shutdown comes into effect to tackle the challenges posed by this global pandemic. This has brought everyone’s life to a grinding halt.
In this context, Odia Samaj of New Delhi, a not-for-profit organisation has stepped up efforts and is actively engaged in providing relief, attending to distress calls and extending legal aid for securing the rights of large number of distressed Odia migrant labourers living in Delhi NCR.
Odia Samaj has taken active steps in helping needy Odias of Delhi NCR with dry ration, which is being distributed on daily basis since 30th March, at vantage points like Jagannath mandirs, other temples, school buildings and community centres in the needy communities. In this noble effort, till now around 3250 economically deprived Odia families in Gurgaon, Manesar, Faridabad, Bhiwadi, Ghaziabad, Noida , Greater Noida, Aya Nagar, Uttamnagar, Peeragarhi, Kotla, Nangloi, Tughlakabad besides other areas in Delhi have already been provided dry ration so far.
Union petroleum and steel minister Dharmendra Pradhan has suggested that civil society should reach out to people in Delhi NCR region, especially those who have come here from Odisha in search of livelihood options.
The Legal Aid Cell set up by Odia Samaj is doing commendable job in helping the Odia migrant labourers of Delhi NCR, who are currently jobless due to the national lockdown. This Legal Aid Cell acts as a bridge between the workers and District Administration in situations where they are threatened by house owners to vacate the premises due to their inability to pay house rents.
To ensure above activities are carried out smoothly and in an uninterrupted manner , Odia Samaj has created a band of Zonal coordinators including Rabi Pradhan, Minaketan Mishra, P K Dash, Bidyadhar Sahoo, Aphisar Rout, Umakant Das, Basant Swain, Udyanath Swain, Minaketan Samal, Mihir Ray, Anant Malik and Nanda Kishore Diwedi to reach out to the needy and distressed families every single day during this lockdown period.
Speaking about the operations, Odia Samaj president Sidhartha Pradhan said, “We at Odia Samaj always stand by the Odia diaspora. Our maximum coverage is through door to door to ensure timely support arrives to the needy, distressed and stranded Odia families / individuals.”
Samaj trustee Hiranya Mohanty added “We have always made efforts to reach out to our Odia brothers and sisters when any crisis happens. We plan to carry on this noble endeavour till the lock down period ends”.
Odia Samaj, is a leading not-for-profit, socio-cultural organisation of the capital city, which is not only an effective and neutral think tank, primarily concerned with Odisha’s developmental priorities but it is also a platform for the Odia diaspora of the world, to interact and exchange ideas and assistance pertaining to the welfare of Odia people worldwide.
