Samaritans pitch in to strengthen health infrastructure in Karnal district

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, May 10

To strengthen health infrastructure, which has been affected badly with the increasing number of Covid cases, several good Samaritans have come forward in the district.

Among them are two brothers — Dr Chetan Sobti and Nitin Sobti — who run a pharmaceutical company. They have borne the cost of an oxygen generation plant, expected to be around Rs 50 lakh. They have extended their support of Rs 50 lakh to the district administration.

“I attended a meeting of the district officials, chaired by ACS Devinder Singh, and observed the efforts being made by the authorities. I suggested ACS Singh and DC Nishant Kumar Yadav to establish a captive oxygen generation plant in the hospital which will be more cost effective in comparison to ferrying oxygen from faraway places. For the purpose, my brother and I decided to give Rs 50 lakh for the plant,” said Dr Chetan, a resident of Model Town, who is also a dental surgeon. “We will further be available for help of any kind for the society,” he added.

DC Yadav said people were coming forward to strengthen health infrastructure of the district. Dr Chetan had also promised to provide the administration with oximeters.

Besides, a peace committee, which was constituted during the Jat agitation, on Friday also extended an additional support of Rs 35 lakh to the district administration to purchase oxygen concentrators worth Rs 20 lakh and oxymeters worth Rs 15 lakh. Earlier, the committee had donated Rs 50 lakh for setting up an oxygen storage plant. So far, it has given Rs 85 lakh to the administration for the health sector.

Apart from this, National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources director Dr RK Vijh and his wife Neelam Vijh, had extended support of a water cooler and a water purifier at the Covid cremation ground, where people from Delhi, UP, Karnal and other places perform last rites of the deceased. Mayor Renu Bala Gupta, social activist Brij Gupta, and other social activists such as Ramesh Midha and Ish Gulati are also providing firewood, ‘samagri’ and desi ghee free of cost for cremations. Besides, YK Gupta from The Karnal Liquors had extended a support of Rs 5 lakh to the district disaster management fund.