New Delhi, Mar 27 (PTI) The civic body in south Delhi has opened a bank account to raise funds for the poor people affected by the lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, officials said on Friday.

In order the extend support to the poor and needy people during this lockdown, the SDMC has also decided to rope in owners of big restaurants and eateries to provide free food packets to them, they said.

The SDMC is able to arrange 20,000 food packets in association with hotels, restaurants, mid-day meal kitchens and some NGOs and arranged the distribution to the poor and needy with the help of respective district magistrates across all zones of the corporation.

"A bank account has also been opened where any individual, group or company can contribute fund which will be utilised as per the government rules to take measures to contain spread of coronavirus and also to help the affected persons," the SDMC said in a statement.

And to take care of its field staff, 20,000 Vitamin-C tablets per zone have been distributed to its 20,000 safai karmcharis for their better health and boosting immunity,it said.

The SDMC has also decided to procure more masks, gloves, soaps and hand sanitisers for the safety of their sanitation workers, the statement said.

SDMC has also directed its deputy health officers to use fogging machines to spray mixture of water with sodium hypochloride to disinfectant and sanitise the areas in all four zones. 

The lockdown in Delhi was imposed on Monday morning and the city had recorded 40 cases of coronavirus with one death.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)