As the Statewide lockdown has been strictly enforced hitting normal life, some people turned Good Samaritans as they offered food to those in need on Tuesday.
While food was served at affordable prices at Indira Canteen, some volunteers served food free of cost in some parts of the town.
However, the Indira Canteen was closed before the lunch owing to an instruction from the State government.
Over 90% of hotels/eateries in the town and all along Bengaluru-Mysuru highway were closed subsequent to the prohibitory order imposed by the district administration.
The Indira Canteen on the highway, near the main Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, had been the saviour for poor and homeless people since Sunday.
The canteen was opened in the morning and as usual nearly 300 were served breakfasts. Majority of them were poor, homeless and daily wagers who were not getting employment since Sunday.
Those staying in PG homes and rented rooms, bachelors, and poor people from the town and homeless people usually visit the canteen every day.
The canteen will not be opened till receiving an instruction/directive from government, Mandya City Municipal Council (CMC) officials told The Hindu.
Meanwhile, volunteers distributed free food near the KSRTC bus stand here and urged the government to serve free food for the poor at the Indira Canteen till the lockdown order was withdrawn.
“The poor and the destitute are not getting food following the restrictions on organising functions. Who will feed them?” Mahaveer Jain of Anekere Beedhi said.
