By Dominick Rodrigues

Sindhudurg (Maharashtra), June 5: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has made a clarion call for focus on creating ‘Coronamukta Gaon’ (Corona Free Villages) a scheme on the lines of the ‘Majhe Kutumb, Majhi Jawabdari’ (‘My family is my Responsibility’) and ‘Me Jawabdar’ (‘I am Responsible’) schemes.

Highlighting the urgent need to responsibly make all districts free from Covid-19, Thackeray said this would ensure that any future virus wave would be dealt with through increased oxygen capacity, health facilities and testing capacity.

The Chief Minister was speaking during the online inauguration of a 6KL Liquid Oxygen Refill Plant set up by United Air Gas Pvt. Ltd. in barely 15 days at Kudal MIDC.

While natural calamities like rainstorms and cyclones occur on the Konkan shores, the coastal dwellers would have to also cope with Covid-19 and plan ahead in the battle of prevention of another wave through setting up such oxygen plants, he said, adding that the existing plant’s capacity should be increased up to 20 KL while also making provisions for meeting the district’s needs for oxygen.

“The Government is giving priority to strengthening health facilities by providing necessary facilities –including no shortage of oxygen in districts – through setting up such plants from the taluka level,” he said while urging the elected representatives to work as per voter list in highlighting ‘My House, Corona Free’ and eradicating the coronavirus at its roots.

Sindhdurg Guardian Minister Uday Samant said 22 updated ambulances – working on the “Modular OT” concept – are being placed at Sindhudurg, Sawantwadi, Kankavali and Kudal in Maharashtra alongside two oxygen plants in the district headquarters to ensure oxygen self-sufficiency, besides such plants also being set up at Sawantwadi and Kankavali.

“We are trying to set up necessary facilities and equipments to face the third wave by having 565 oxygen beds – which are being increased to a thousand – while the Saraswat Bank, entrepreneurs and NGOs are helping us from their CSR funds,” he said while mentioning that a proposal for having an oxygen plant in the taluka has been sent to the Government.

MP Vinayak Raut lauded the setting up of the 6 KL oxygen plant under “Mission Oxygen” in barely 15 days, while MLA Vaibhav Naik urged for increased vaccination supplies and MLA Deepak Kesarkar urged the Chief Minister to inaugurate the Vengurla Hospital.

While the Chief Minister, Guardian Minister Uday Samant and MLA Deepak Kesarkar participated online, those present on the occasion included MP Vinayak Raut, MLA Vaibhav Naik, Collector K.  Manjulakshmi, Superintendent of Police Rajendra Dabhade, Assistant District Collector Sanjit Mohopatra, MIDC Regional Director Avinash Revankar, Zilla Parishad Member Nagendra Parab and Atul Nalawade of United Air Gas Company.