Dal-Chawal is the regular meal for the protesters at Jantar Mantar.
“At least once a day, we receive a proper meal. We receive it all free”, said Bhim Kumar, one such protestor associated with the Krantrikari Yuva Sangathan. They have erected a blue tent in front of the main stage, where Sonam Wangchuk is the spectacle.
On the days Kumar receives nothing, he either stays hungry, goes to a gurdwara langar or spends a few rupees from his pocket.
Volunteers are the pillars keeping the Jantar Mantar protest alive, providing basic facilities like food, water and medical necessities. Despite several accusations that the protest is receiving relief from the Aam Aadmi Party, donations from volunteers are the only survival kit for the protest that began near the Jantar Mantar on 20th June.
With around 150 protesters living there and thousands of people flocking to the site every day, basic necessities such as food and water have become the utmost priority.
A government water tanker enters the premises at around 1pm. But with the growing popularity of the movement, the water is not enough to sustain everyone.
Neeraj Sharma, who manages a team of about twenty people who look after food and water distribution, said, “The donors are asked to pay directly to the vendor. We do not handle money.”
Fresh leftovers from restaurants, food from gurudwara langars, masjids or temples are served for lunch and dinner.
“We feed everyone present at that moment”, he added, clarifying that food is not only for the people who are protesting. Anybody who wishes to eat can eat.
Several people who visit the site bring boxes of fruit juice, water and snacks. It's not Sharma’s team; he simply leads a bunch of volunteers who want to help with the management and keep the protest as organised as possible.
“We didn’t know each other, but now we have become a family", he said.
They work together as a team, handling different departments. A few oversee the water and food distributions, while others focus on donations. Almost everyone prioritises waste management on the premises.
There is a government ambulance from Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital stationed on the main road, but the medical facilities available are arranged by the volunteers and donors.
Dr Akshay Saha, who has a clinic in Rama Vihar, said, “We have all the basic medicines here.” He has been volunteering in the protest since day one, providing free medical services.
“This is a bigger loss for the country”, he added, explaining that his monetary losses in his clinic are insignificant compared to the cause of the protest.
Saha is accompanied by another doctor and has a team of five people to assist them. They provide quick first-aid services and basic facilities.
“The most important medicine is water and salt”, he added, explaining that those are the only things needed to survive a hunger strike.
People are free to volunteer; Saha monitors them for two to three days before confirming them for the service. The medicines are donated and are provided free to the people at the protest site.
Sharma’s team is on waste management duty, working from 11:00pm to 12:00am or between 6:00am and 7:00am. They dispose of medical waste safely, using a WhatsApp group to communicate with the medical team.
When the garbage van from the Municipal Corporation visits the site early in the morning, the garbage is already bundled up.
