A ‘Sakhi Mandal’ (Self-Help Group) in Jharkhand’s Khunti district is using medicinal plants along with other ingredients to prepare hand sanitizer in their fight against COVID-19 pandemic, a government official said.
Lemon grass or basil oil is also being added to the hand sanitizer by the Mandal as these are medicinal plants and can increase the effectiveness of the sanitizer, the official said.
A total of 225 litres of hand sanitizer have been manufactured in Khunti by the Mandal and the quantity would be increased to 1,000 litres in the next two days, he said.
The hand sanitizers have been packaged in 100 ml, 250 ml and 500 ml bottles.
“The amount of alcohol in the sanitizer manufactured in Khunti is 72%, glycerine is 13%, distilled water is 13% and basil or lemongrass is 2%,” he said, about the mixture of the sanitizer.
In all, eight women are engaged in the preparation of the hand sanitizer under Khunti district administration and Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society at Anigada Rural Service Centre at Panikada village of Khunti district.
“There is a plan to set up roadside stalls at various places between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. by the Mandal to make the hand sanitizer accessible to the common people,” he said.
Meanwhile, an official release said ₹10 crore was donated by Tata Company and one crore by Adani Group to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to fight the coronavirus pandemic.