Maruti's outreach amid Covid-19 includes water ATMs, lakhs of cooked meals

Maruti Suzuki has long been the undisputed leader in the Indian automotive sector but is now taking the lead in playing a role of a different kind. With the country under lockdown to check on the spread of Covid-19 disease, the company has been reaching out with several initiatives to help its employees as well as communities with the support they need.

The company on Monday informed that it had distributed over 120,000 cooked meals over the course of the last three weeks. Its in-house canteens have been put to work to prepare hygienic meals for the temporary workmen and student trainees staying in village communities around the Gurugram and Manesar plants. Around 5,400 cooked meals have been delivered each day. Around 500 kits of dry ration have also been given each day to the Gurugram administration, in association with the Indian Red Cross Society.

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Maruti Suzuki's 17 water ATMs across 16 villages is also open for people at a cost of 35 paise per litre. The company says that the consumption of water at these ATMs have increased by five times in recent weeks. These water ATMs work on self-sustaining model and can generate over 1,000 litres of clean water per hour. These also come with Water Quality display screens that show the purity of the water.

Additionally, the company has put 16 waste collection vans to use in order to help the sanitsation process in Manesar and Rohtak.

Maruti Suzuki is not alone in taking such initiatives with several other auto makers also coming out to help in any way possible. From Hyundai, Tata Motors and Mahindra to Volkswagen and Mercedes, auto makers have moved to top gear to help locals as well as authorities with essential supplies.