COVID crisis: Honda India Foundation earmarks Rs 6.5 cr to support relief efforts

NEW DELHI: Honda India Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of all Honda group companies in India, on Monday said it has earmarked Rs 6.5 crore to support the government's ongoing efforts against COVID-19.

The foundation is closely working with government authorities in Haryana, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat and has earmarked a sum of Rs 6.5 crore towards the relief measures.

"This second wave of COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us adversely. At this hour of need, it is imperative that more individuals and organizations come forward to help in cohesion and we do our best for the community we operate in and for the country, at large. We hope that these efforts by the government and the industry can help families as they tide through this calamity," Honda India Foundation Chairman Atsushi Ogata said in a statement.

The foundation is working with various stakeholders to ensure that on-ground efforts can run seamlessly, he added.

"It is time to stand together for each other, with the belief that we will sail through this," Ogata noted.

As part of the aid, the Honda India Foundation will be setting up temporary COVID care isolation centers and oxygen production plants.

One 100-bed facility is being created at Honda's warehouse in Manesar in Haryana and another 50-100-bed facility at a government girls' school in Tapukara, Rajasthan.

These temporary COVID-19 care centers are expected to commence operation from next week onwards, the organisation said.

Similar isolation centers are also being explored in other locations.

The foundation is also working with state governments to set up oxygen production plants in the districts of Kolar (Karnataka), Gautam Budh Nagar (Uttar Pradesh), Alwar (Rajasthan) and Manesar (Haryana).

Honda India Foundation noted that it has already started an extensive distribution exercise to help the local administration's efforts in all the five states by providing protection kits (PPE, Mask, Sanitisers) and food packets for front line warriors and medical equipment such as pulse oximeter, thermometers, oxygen concentrators for government hospitals in rural areas.