Self-help groups making masks in Tripura

Agartala, Apr 7 () Alaka Debnath is busy makingdouble-layered cotton masks in her small bamboo hut atIndranagar in the outskirts of the capital as there is ashortage of masks to fight the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Debnath is the secretary of Khumpui self-help group,which along with seven other self-help groups in the town haverecently received orderfrom the Agartala MunicipalCorporation (AMC) to manufacture 10,000 face masks to fightthe spread of coronavirus in Tripura.

AMC commissioner Dr Shailesh Kumar Yadav said maskswould be distributed among the frontline workers including thehealth, police and other departments.

A total of 7 self-help groups with over 100 membersare making masks for the municipal corporation so that thedemand of 10,000 masks can be met at the earliest.

Debnath said, "We are working from our houses. Thework has been distributed to individual members and they aremanufacturing the masks as per the guidelines laid down by themunicipal corporation."

Gouri Sinha, president of Ekata-SHG said that theyhave 15 members in the group, who are working day and night tomake masks from their houses.

"We have been asked to prepare the masks as perspecifications. After showing a piece of mask we receivedorder for making these masks for the AMC," Sinha said.

She also said that these masks have been approved bythe AMC with specific criteria of having 100 per cent cottoncloth with 8 inch length, 9 inch width which can be folded inthree parts having double layer of cotton cloth.

Yadav said that the AMC has decided to make 10,000cotton cloth double layer face masks following guidelines ofthe government of India with the help of SHG members.

At present there are 7 SHGs making these masks. Thecorporation will pay Rs 10 for each mask as stitching cost.Clothes are being supplied by the corporation.

Yadav said, "there is shortage of masks, so we aresearching for more SHGs, who can make masks," he said. JOYRG RG