UP's Green Gang - which had taken cudgels against alcoholism in some districts - is now helping in the fight against coronavirus by cooking food for the needy, stitching masks and identifying those coming from other states.
Clad in green sarees, the women are working as eyes and ears of the UP police and administration.
"Active in 55 villages of Varanasi, Jaunpur, Ayodhya, Sonebhadra and Mirzapur, the women of 'Green Gang', as they are known, are doing their bit to help the administration in every way they can," said Divyanshu Upadhyay, founder and secretary of Hope Welfare Trust set up by studentsof the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) with the support of some professors.
These women have been running anti-liquor campaigns and fight for social causes in their villages.
Each village has a group of 25 such women, who actively champion social causes.
"With the spread of COVID-19 virus, we are providing food to migrant labourers. We are also keeping an eye on those coming from other states to their home and inform administration about them. We create awareness regarding coronavirus," saidRoshan Khatoon of Rajgarh Village in Mirzapur.
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Champa Devi of Naxal-hit Bhawanipur village in Mirzapur, who is group leader of the 'Green Gang', is busy stitching face masks.
"We have stitched 500 masks and distributed them among people, telling them about its importance," Champa Devi said.
About the funding, President of Hope, Ravi Mishra said, "We and members of our group are contributing for the case. Those members, who have got jobs, are also helping as also professors of BHU."
He said that till now ration and food packets have been distributed among 5,000 persons, including migrant labourers, in five districts of the state, where the Green Gang has presence.
"Women of our group are themselves cooking and making packets and also going to distribute them," Ankita Singh, a core member of the group, said.
She said that they were targeting those who did not have bank accounts or ration cards to get relief from the government and were providing them with necessary ration to survive.
Group leaders of different villages like Asha Devi of Khusiari village in Varanasi, Tabassun of Deva, Varanasi, or Manju Devi of Ratia in Ayodhya are collecting rations from villages for the needy.
Acknowledging their contribution, then UP DGP OP Singh had given 'police mitra' (friend of police) tag to these women, who at times are very helpful in tackling or giving tips on local issues.
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