India CSR News Network

PURI: JSPL Foundation, the CSR arm of leading steel producer Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL), served fresh cooked food to more than 15,000 devotees during the annual Rath Yatra here on Sunday.

The Foundation also provided 10,000 packets of Glucose powder to the District Administration, on request, for free distribution among the devotees. The glucose powder packets were distributed by the RWSS, Puri on the day of Rath yatra.

The distribution of staple food was started on Netrotsav Evening and continued till late evening of Rath Yatra. Devotees were served rice, dalma (medley of lentil and vegetables) and khatta (condiment made from raw mangoes) behind Gundicha Temple of the holy city, in coordination with the district administration.

Representatives of the District Administration, Puri visited the food distribution centre and appreciated the quality of food, sanitation and hygiene standard of delivery and garbage management.

The Glucose Packets were handed over to the Junior Engineer of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS), Puri by Prashant Kumar Hota, General Secretary of JSPL Foundation and Group CSR Head of JSPL.

Besides, the devotees, attending the grand festival were also served chilled drinking water from a refrigerated mobile drinking water tanker of the Foundation. For this a customised vehicle of 1000 litres capacity was engaged to dispense refrigerated drinking water. Charged multiple times, the vehicle provides 4000 litres of chilled drinking water every day.

Responding to the appreciations in social media about distribution of food, drinking water and glucose packets among the devotees, President of JSPL Foundation Smt. Shallu Jindal attributed all such services to the ‘Divine will of Lord Jagannath’.

Naveen Jindal, Chairman, JSPL had tweeted his special greetings for the People of Odisha on the day of Rathyayatra and prayed for Lord Jagannath’s Blessings for the prosperity of Odisha . Mr Jindal also expressed his happiness on the services of dispensation of free food , drinking water and glucose for the Devotees by JSPL Foundation under the guidance of the Foundation’s Chief Smt Shallu Jindal.

The Foundation will also serve an equal number of pilgrims during Sandya Darshan, Bahuda Yatra (return car festival) and Sunabesha on July 2nd, 3rd and 4^th respectively.