Lawyers raise Rs 50 lakh for NGOs helping Covid patients in Delhi, Bengal

NEW DELHI: The alumni of National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS) at Kolkata have come together to raise Rs 50 lakhs for two reputed NGOs providing healthcare to Covid patients in Delhi and Sunderbans of West Bengal.
The fund raising went online on May 1 and within seven days Rs 50 lakhs were donated by the lawyers who had passed out from NUJS. It donated Rs 35 lakhs to NGO 'Doctors For You' (DFY), which is managing more than 2,500 beds at five Covid Care Centers in Delhi (including the Covid Care Center at the Commonwealth Games Village), four Centers in Bengaluru, three in Mumbai and a few more in Bihar, UP and Andhra Pradesh.
The alumni also extended financial help to another NGO 'Meghdutam', that works with the marginalized sections of society in semi urban and rural areas in the Sunderbans and endeavours to provide basic medication to people to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
"Our Fundraiser went online on crowdfunding platform ‘Milaap’ and within 7 days the target amount of Rs. 50 lacs was raised. The donors included alumni, well wishers, friends and relatives, anonymous donors etc," said advocate Fauzia Shakil, the north-India coordinator of the alumni.
"Rs 35 lakh has already been released to DFY on May 7 and the balance is being provided in the coming week. The funds collected will be used by the DFY to augment oxygen supply at their Delhi centres, purchase of medicines and medical equipment in their covid care centres. Meghdootam will use their share of the funds to provide oxygen cylinders, medicines and emergency equipment in semi urban and rural areas in West Bengal," said alumni association vice-president Shameek Ray..
Nishant Beniwal, president of the alumni association, said, “India is in a crisis today which can and is being fought by our warriors from the public and private health sector and organizations like DFY. The public’s role must extend to exploring multiple ways in which these frontline individuals can be helped, one of which is through donating generously to help the fight against pandemic."
Shakil said, "we are overwhelmed by the response to our initiative and are considering launching phase-II fund raising action to extend financial help to well-meaning NGOs working in the semi-urban and rural areas lacking basic health infrastructure."