Pune’s Noor Roti Bank where hungry people ‘withdraw’ food without any ‘deposit’

By Sumit Singh

Pune, September 18 : In a first of its kind initiative in the city, a Roti Bank has been established in Bopodi, a suburb of Pune, to feed the hungry less fortunate people who find it difficult to arrange meals for themselves.

The Roti Bank started functioning adjacent to the Jama Masjid, Bopodi, in April this year. At present it gets food from about 60 donors and distributes them to 70-80 poor people everyday. To respect the sentiments of people from different faiths, only vegetarian food is served.

The unique bank was started by Noor Charitable Trust and Al-Noor Foundation. Whoever wants to donate food, has to become member of the Roti Bank by filling a form and they are allotted a number as their identity number. Only fresh home cooked food are accepted. And then the food packet is handed over to anyone who turns up at the Roti Bank.

Nisar Attar, one of the founders of the Roti Bank, said, “We don’t discriminate among the donors or receivers. Anyone who wishes to donate food is welcome. Similarly any less fortunate person who wants food can walk in and get the food. As per the demand we give rice, roti, cooked vegetable”.

Talking about the quality check of the foods, another founder member Firoz Attar added, “We accept only fresh food. No stale food item is given to the needy person. Only registered members can donate food. A to donate food has to fill a simple form and become a member. The registration is mandatory so that we can trace the source of food packet in case any problem like food poisoning etc”.

Most of the food donors are from Bopodi and nearby areas including Khadki and Dapodi. “In future if there more donors from other areas, we will appoint persons to collect food packets from there”, Attar added.

Zuber Pirzade, who is also associated with the Roti Bank, informed, “We want to sensitize people about their responsibility. We don’t accept cash. People come here and donate food”.

Most of the food receivers are poor people and laborers who find it difficult to afford proper meal everyday.

Nilesh Nimbalkar, a student, said, “I convinced my family to donate food. I have also convinced some of my friends to give food here”.

The concept of Roti Bank first began in Mahoba, one of the most backward area Bundelkhand in Uttar Pradesh, in June 2015. Later similar Roti Bank was started in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad. As per media reports, now Roti Banks have been established in several parts of the country. Roti Bank is considered an effective fight against hunger as lakhs people in our country go to sleep every night without a Roti to eat.

Punekar News salutes the spirit of people who have set up Roti Bank anywhere.