Indian NGO, Tata Trust team up to feed earthquake victims in Nepal

KATHMANDU: An Indian NGO has joined hands with Tata Trust to serve meals to nearly 14,000 people in quake-hit Nepal every day.

Serving the vegetarian meals in Nepal's worst-affected Bhaktapur district, the initiative is already under operation for the past 12 days now and looks to continue for another six months.

Akshayapatra Foundation is operating the centralised kitchen in Suryabinayak area of Bhaktapur for cooking the meals. The Tata Trust is sponsoring the food for the project.

The meals are being distributed to the locals through 11 centres at Bhaktapur in the morning and evening.

Everyday 1,800 kg of rice, 500 kg of dal and 1,900 kg of vegetables are being cooked through steam cooking system for the purpose.

Altogether 70 people are employed to operate the centralised kitchen.

Another NGO, Sipradiyan Sahayata, is assisting to distribute the meals to the people with the help of local clubs and volunteers.

The help and support comes after Nepal was hit by devastating 7.9-magnitude quake of April 25 and subsequent aftershocks that have mounted to around 330.

Nearly 9,000 people were killed and thousands displaced after the country's worst temblor in decades jolted the Himalayan nation.