Coronavirus: TVS donates 6.5 lakh masks, Eicher Group announces Rs 50 Cr for fighting COVID-19
Indian auto majors pool in to help fight the coronavirus pandemic by making ventilators, face shields, and masks, while also donating money to PM and CM relief funds.
TVS Motor Company has donated 6.5 lakh masks to healthcare workers via its social arm Srinivasan Services Trust. These masks have been made by TVS, and the company plans to make a million masks for frontline workers such as doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals.
The Chennai-based two-wheeler and three-wheeler manufacturer has also distributed over 1.2 lakh food packets. These meals are made at the company’s Hosur and Chennai manufacturing facilities and supplied to all essential care workers in the vicinity, from police personnel, municipal staff, to healthcare workers.
Earlier, TVS Motor, along with its group companies TVS Credit Services and Sundaram-Clayton, had committed to donating Rs 25 crore to the PM’s Relief Fund (PM-CARES). Additionally, it announced a contribution of Rs 5 crore towards Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund. The trust is also distributing disposable hand gloves and is helping to produce medical equipment to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The company, via its trust, has also handed over a ‘Disinfectant Spray Cannon’ vehicle to the Greater Chennai Corporation to aid in disinfecting localities through chemical spraying. So far, over 2,000 villages have been disinfected by this specially crafted vehicle.
Similarly, the Eicher Group, which comprises of Royal Enfield and VE Commercial Vehicles (Volvo-Eicher JV), has announced its commitment to support the nation’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
The company has announced an initial outlay of Rs 50 crore towards various immediate relief and support measures. The amount will also be used in building dedicated COVID-19 care facilities to tackle the impact of the pandemic.
It will continue to assess the situation and is likely to increase spends over the forthcoming months to deploy support and for long-term rehabilitation in the aftermath of the pandemic. Besides, it is in talks with various government organisations to support the production of critical medical equipment and supplies, including ventilators. This will include the use of new-age technologies like 3D printing, for rapid scaling-up of parts for the medical equipment.
Other carmakers like Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai Motors, and Mahindra & Mahindra are building low-cost ventilators. The latter is also making face shields - a protective equipment required by healthcare professionals.
MG Motor India, apart from donating Rs 2 crore, has announced Affordable Ventilator Challenge as part of its Developer Program and Grant initiative. In this, startups will be competing to develop a viable prototype of a ventilator which will be produced at its Halol plant.
(Edited by Suman Singh)