Mumbaikars get 50,000 litre of drinking water from Ismaili Community

Members of the Ismaili Muslim community-based at Kurla

Kurla's Ismaili Muslim community has been gathering accolades for their water distribution work being done in every corner of the city during the COVID-19 crisis. Their team of volunteers based at the Ismaili Jamat Khana, Kurla, has so far distributed 50,000 litres so far at nine locations across the city, including multiple COVID-19 hospitals and CCC1 center. This noble initiative has already won them praise from multiple senior officials at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and even form the Mayor of Mumbai, Kishori Pednekar on social media.

A dedicated COVID-19 centre at Bandra Kurla Complex

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Rajesh Dere - the dean of the massive 2,000-plus bed COVID-19 facility in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) - said, "Volunteers from the Ismaili Kurla Jamat Khana have been supporting us with drinking water and paper cups for more than three months now and we've already received more than 25,000 litres of water from them, so far. They are always available when we need their help and we are thankful to the Ismaili Muslim Community of Mumbai and we congratulate them for completing the 50,000-litre milestone."

The team also has been distributing drinking water at the BMC-CIDCO Jumbo facility built at Mulund. "The volunteers of Ismaili Kurla Jamat Khana have helped us with more than 8,000 litres of drinking water and we wholeheartedly congratulate them on hitting the 50,000-litre mark in serving the city of Mumbai," said Dr. Pradeep Angre, the dean of the Mulund COVID-19 facility.

Kurla's Ismaili Muslim community has distributed 50,000 litres of water across nine locations to date

Additionally, the team of volunteers has joined hands with the Mumbai North Central District forum that are helping them scout locations for water delivery. The team received a request from the patients at the Genesis COVID-19 centre in Vile Parle that falls under the BMC K Eastward and since then, the centre has been the beneficiary of clean drinking water.

"We were having delays in procuring clean drinking water for our staff and the patients earlier. Now, thanks to the Ismaili Kurla Jamat Khana volunteers, we've received more than 3,000 litres of clean drinking water for everyone based at this facility. Hitting the 50,000-litre milestone for the huge city of Mumbai is no small feat and we are grateful to them for this kind gesture," said one of the doctors stationed there.

In addition to the above-mentioned locations, the team sent drinking water to multiple facilities in Mulund, including the Riddhi-Siddhi COVID-19 centre and the centre at Mithaghar School. Both these locations are situated in BMC Ward T. The Ismaili Jamat Khana volunteer team has since then also distributed 1,200 litres of water for resident doctors and frontline workers at Cooper Hospital in Andheri and has also supplied 600 litres to the Ghatkopar CCC2 centre that falls under BMC Ward N.

A volunteer of the Ismaili community distributes bottles of drinking water to migrants

The team started this initiative by distributing drinking water at the LTT Terminus Railway station and were later joined by a group of generous volunteers from the Chembur Gurudwara. Both teams were able to serve to around 24,600 migrants, who received a single 1-litre water bottle each.

Dr Parmeet Banga, a member of the volunteer team based at the Chembur Gurudwara said, "We are happy to work together with the Ismaili Muslim Community of Kurla, Mumbai. It was a great experience for all of us and also wonderful to work together with a different community, for a common goal. We congratulate them for their massive contribution of 50,000 litres of water to the City of Mumbai."

While 50,000 litres is a major milestone for the small team from the Ismaili Kurla Jamat Khana, they plan to continue to serve COVID-19 patients and frontline workers in the city for as long as they have funding.

If you wish to contribute, please contact Akbar on 9833544773.

Facts

Amount of water distributed: 50,000 litres and counting
Number of locations in Mumbai: 9 so far
Rough cost-estimate of procuring clean water: Rs 3.25 lakh
Total number of team members: 10

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