Khurda: Members of various women self-help groups (SHGs) have come forward to assist the district administration and the common people in their fight against the deadly coronavirus.
The women SHGs at the district headquarters town here have been preparing protective masks in large numbers to check the spread of coronavirus.
According to sources, members of Maa Bhairavi and Maa Jyoti SHGs have supplied at least 5,000 masks to the administration between March 23 and April 14. Besides, they have sold around 2,000 masks to the people.
At least 15 women of the two SHGs have been manufacturing masks since March 23. “We are charging anywhere between Rs 15 and Rs 25 for a mask. We have planned to manufacture around 10,000 masks by April last,” said an SHG member.
Earlier, these SHGs were manufacturing spices, incense sticks, cotton bags and other handicraft items. But, they started manufacturing masks in the wake of the global pandemic.
Notably, the state government has made it mandatory that people would use protective masks while moving out of homes. It has also announced to impose penalties on the violators.
This apart, members of several women SHGs have started selling vegetables to the people during the nationwide lockdown over coronavirus.
These women are procuring vegetables from wholesalers and sell them at various places of the town through trolley-rickshaws.
“We are buying vegetables from the wholesalers and sell them to the locals within 7 am and 12 noon. The civic body of Khurda has encouraged us to supply vegetables to the people at cheap rates. We have decided to join hands with the administration to fight coronavirus,” said Sony Dakua, an SHG member.