'Sakhi Mandals' using medicinal plants in making hand sanitizers

Ranchi, Apr 8 () A 'Sakhi Mandal' (Self-Help Group)in Jharkhand's Khunti district is using medicinal plants alongwith other ingredients to prepare hand sanitizer in theirfight against COVID-19 pandemic, a government official said.

Lemon grass or basil oil is also being added to thehand sanitizer by the 'Sakhi Mandal' as it is a medicinalplant and increase the effectiveness of the sanitizer, theofficial said.

A total of 225 litres of hand sanitizer have beenmanufactured in Khunti by the 'Sakhi Mandal' and the quantitywould be increased to 1,000 litres in the next two days, hesaid.

The hand sanitizers have been packaged in 100 ml, 250ml and 500 ml bottles.

"The amount of alcohol in the sanitizer manufacturedin Khunti is 72 per cent, glycerine is 13 per cent, distilledwater is 13 per cent and basil or lemongrass is 2 per cent,he said, about the mixture of the sanitizer.

In all, eight women are engaged in the preparation ofthe hand sanitizer in their fight against COVID-19 with thehelp of Khunti district administration and Jharkhand StateLivelihood Promotion Society at Anigada Rural Service Centreat Panikada village of Khunti district.

"There is a plan to set up roadside stalls at variousplaces between 8 am and 11 am by the Didis of the Sakhi Mandalto make the hand sanitizer accessible to the common people,"he said.

Meanwhile, an official release said Rs 10 crore wasdonated by Tata Company and one crore by Adani Group to theChief Minister's Relief Fund to fight the coronaviruspandemic. PVRRG RG