Odisha: Coronavirus Scare: SHG members in Cuttack roped in to make masks

With face masks steadily vanishing from the market following novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) scare, the State-run Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) has roped in women self-help groups (SHGs) to meet the shortage.

Cuttack: Amidst coronavirus scare, the demand for masks has surged everywhere in the country. But at a time of such calamity, essential commodities like masks and sanitisers had vanished from Odisha markets.

Following this, a women Self-Help Group (SHG) at Kesharpur in Odisha's Cuttack is working day and night as they are engaged in the preparation and supply of masks.

According to sources, around 30 members of Hazzi Ali SHG have been trained by Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) to manufacture masks. Since the last five days, they have made 25,000 masks which can be recycled.

Essentially this Group is making three types of masks. While all those masks are fit for recycling, their price ranges from Rs five to Rs fifteen, sources said.

However, the members of this Self Help Group are thinking of using cotton cloth for making the masks as they are experiencing difficulty in procuring raw materials like 'Khadi' cloth and elastics.

As per the direction of ORMAS, after preparation of the masks, those are despatched to different destinations, sources added.