Initially, the couple used to distribute tea and parathas within Chembur but they slowly moved to other nakabandi checkpoints
The couple continues to distribute tea and snacks among cops on nakabandi duty
At a time when the city's police force is working day and night to ensure that lockdown rules are strictly implemented, a Chembur-based couple has taken up the responsibility to ensure they don't go hungry due to too much work pressure and also feel energetic through the day. For over three months now, Rosemond D'Souza, 48, and Sweety D'Souza, 45, have been distributing tea and snacks among officers on duty at nakabandi checkpoints across the city and they manage to serve at least 100 cops a day.
While Rosemond is a civil contractor, Sweety is a homemaker. Between 3 pm and 7 pm everyday they pack and take the snacks in their car to various nakabandi checkpoints, including Mankhurd, Chembur and Wadala.
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Speaking to mid-day, the couple said, "Looking at the way the cops are doing their duty since the lockdown was imposed, we decided to help them out. Initially we thought of distributing cold drinks but then realised it would not be suitable in the current situation. So we decided to prepare some ayurvedic tea and snacks at home."
The couple said that initially they used to serve tea and parathas in the Chembur area but eventually they started reaching out to cops in different nakabandi checkpoints.
Rosemond said, "Around 1 pm my wife and I start making the tea and parathas. By 3 pm we finish everything and pack them. Then we take them to about eight to 10 checkpoints each day, mainly in places where the number of COVID-19 cases is more."
They said, "If you take an initiative for others, you derive a different kind of satisfaction from it. Delivering the right help at the right time is important." The couple's efforts have been hailed by the police and over the past couple of months the cops have developed an emotional connect with them as well. The officers have even given them a box of mangoes as a token of appreciation. Even during the cyclone the couple had not stopped their service, which continued uninterrupted.
When asked whether they were scared of risking their own lives, Rosemond said, "We have to protect ourselves and help our families as well. The policemen are like family to us, and hence, we should help."
Sweety added, "Initially when we used to offer snacks to the policemen, they used to be hesitant not knowing where the food came from. But when I told them that all of it was homemade, they used to have them willingly."
Speaking to mid-day, constable Dharmendra Singh said, "Considering the way the cops are working day and night, we are very grateful that the D'Souza couple is giving us tea and snacks."
Another constable V Tawde said, "When there was a complete lockdown we couldn't find tea anywhere. The D'Souza couple used to distribute tea and snacks even in the scorching heat."
100
No. of cops they manage to serve each day
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