COVID-19 | CPLO makes and distributes 50,000 masks, donates rations to stranded migrants

The Central Postal Ladies Organisation (CPLO), an in-house not-for-profit society, is donating 50,000 masks to health workers at the forefront of the fight against the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, who have been facing a severe shortage of personal protective equipment against the pandemic.

CPLO, which is run by officers of the Indian Postal Service Officers and their wives, also distributed 15 tonne of food to migrants stranded in the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border due to the government enforced lockdown. The food, including rice, wheat, pulses and oil, was enough to take care of one month of dry rations for 500 families, CPLO said in a statement.

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"Within a short time of four days, we mobilised voluntary contributions into the CPLO account, procured rations in bulk and arranged transportation to New Ashok Nagar where such migrants were languishing."

For ratchet up the production of mask, CPLO said it has roped in two production houses who will help with the stitching. CPLO said these masks have been made to WHO specifications and are reusable. "Doctors are calling it next best thing to surgical masks,” it said.

In the statement, the organisation explained how it began the production of masks. CPLO first contacted tailors willing to stitch masks and then converted a creche at the Dak Bhavan in New Delhi into a workshop for stitching while maintaining prescribed social and physical distancing norms.

Earlier this month, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad took to Twitter to applaud the efforts of the CPLO and their contribution to the country's ongoing battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

These masks, the CPLO said, have been made available to the Delhi Circle, NDMC dispensaries (for doctors, nurses, safai karamcharies, malaria squads) as well as police personnel.

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