Presidency students distribute food items among transgender people hit by lockdown

Kolkata, May 17 () Students of the PresidencyUniversity have distributed food items among transgenderpeople hit by the lockdown, the institute's students' councilpresident said on Sunday.

Twenty-five transgender people from Garia Nabagramarea in the city have been given rice, pulses and potatoesamong other essential items, Presidency University Students'Council President Mimosa Ghorai told reporters.

"We distributed 33 kg of rice, 6.5 kg of pulses, 12 kgof potatoes, 25 soybean packets besides onions, oil and soapamong them on Friday and Sunday," she said.

Students and staff, faculty, alumni memberscontributed to the students' council fund for the cause,Ghorai said.

Chhabirani, a transgender, said she had exhausted allher savings in the first month of the lockdown and could nothold back her tears upon receiving the food packets.

"The monthly ration provided by the government hadexhausted and we were wondering how to survive in the comingdays. These children brought smiles to our faces. We blessthem for a happy and successful life," she said.

Lauding the students' effort, Presidency UniversityRegistrar Debojyoti Konar said, "We are proud of our students.They have risen to the occasion like true 'Presidencians'. Butthey should maintain safety protocols while coming to the aidof the poor," Konar said.

Earlier during the lockdown, the students' council hadgiven Rs 1,000 each to eight casual workers of the HinduHostel and a hawker who used to sell food packets on theinstitute's campus for years. SUSACD ACD