With the districts of Vellore, Tirupattur and Ranipet facing high demand for face masks in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the district administration has asked suppliers to step up supply.
The Vellore district administration has decided to handover the job of manufacturing masks and hand sanitisers to self-help groups (SHGs) and 18 women, who underwent training in making masks during last week.
Vellore Collector Shanmuga Sundaram, after visiting the manufacturing centre in VELMA (Vellore Mahalir) office on Officers Line, Vellore, on Friday, said that since there were reports that the demand for masks had surged in the market, it was decided to entrust the job to women.
They will be producing 9,000 masks a day and 300 bottles of hand sanitisers. The masks and sanitisers will be made available thorough VELMA retail shops and fair price shops.
The masks will be supplied at ₹10 each and sanitisers at ₹120 for a 200 ml bottle, which is much less than their market rates, he said. Issuing a stern warning to those hoarding essential commodities, he said that those found stocking them up for profit would be charged under the law.
Training in tailoring
An organiser said the women had undergone training in tailoring and they had sharpened their skills through the crash course. They are expected to produce around 500 pieces a day, she said.
Project director, Mahalir Thittam, A.R. Sivaraman; District Supplies and Marketing Society (DSMS), manager, I. Ruban Austin and assistant project officer, Mahalir Thittam, K. Jayakanthan detailed the progress made by the women in meeting the demand for masks and sanitisers.
Tirupattur Collector M.P. Sivanarul also warned those hoarding masks and hand sanitisers.
He visited hospitals in Ambur and Vaniyambadi on Friday to oversee the preparedness on the part of Health Department officials.
In Ranipet district, Collector S. Divyadharshini reviewed the situation and said face masks would be supplied to the needy at subsidised rates.
