Hunger vs Coronavirus: India's Homeless Struggle With 21-Day COVID-19 Lockdown

A daily wage labourer in Mumbai, Sunil, 30, lives under a flyover with his three children and wife. He's seen here on the first day of a 21-day lockdown against the coronavirus.

While the entire country is busy talking about maintaining good hygiene and social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus, there are some people who can do neither. Their first priority is getting food for their families.

To mitigate the hardships faced by people, especially the homeless and poor, various state governments have announced increased rations and free meals.

On Saturday chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced that free cooked food will be provided twice a day to the homeless in night shelters and said that Delhi government will provide free ration to over 72 lakh people and the quantity will be increased from 5 Kg to 7Kg for every ration card-holder.

A homeless boy collects rotten fruits from a deserted fruit market during the lockdown in Guwahati. At least 90% of India's workforce is employed in the informal sector, according to the International Labour Organisation -?working in roles such as security guards, cleaners, rickshaw pullers, streets vendors, garbage collectors and domestic help.

Free meals were handed out at a 'Rain Basera' (shelter home), situated at Baba Kharak Singh Marg. Food was also distributed at a shelter home, near Bangla Sahib Gurudwara in Delhi.

A migrant worker holding her baby cries after she missed out on receiving free food outside Howrah railway station in Kolkata after the 21 day lockdown was ordered to limit the spreading of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).