Tirupati: NTR trust to set up Oxygen plant worth Rs 40 Lakh at Kuppam hospital

Tirupati: TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu has extended a helping hand to the people of his Kuppam constituency by providing an aid of about Rs 1 crore towards Covid relief measures.

He has initiated steps to set up an oxygen plant at the government hospital in Kuppam besides sending medicines to all 11 PHCs in the constituency.

The constituency which is in very close proximity to Karnataka has been reporting more number of Covid cases during the second wave. More than 4,000 cases were reported so far whereas some deaths also took place.

People return from Karnataka and move towards Bengaluru regularly from the constituency. Many people working in Karnataka had to return to their home places due to total lockdown in that State. Many of such migrants tested positive for Covid-19. Still the constituency has been recording around 50-100 Covid infections daily.

Though 100 Covid patients are there in Kuppam government hospital it has no oxygen beds. Now, Naidu took initiative to provide about 50 oxygen beds there. As the government officials have to buy oxygen cylinders from outside, Naidu decided to set up an oxygen plant there itself.

On behalf of NTR trust, they ordered an oxygen plant from Raipur in West Bengal at a cost of Rs 40 lakh. Though it usually takes 6-7 weeks time to set up the plant, they assured to complete it within four weeks time, said Naidu's PA in the constituency P Manohar. Advances were also paid to the contractor.

Also, 20 pulse oximeters, 15 oxygen flow meters and Rs 1 lakh emergency medicines were handed over to Kuppam government hospital. In addition to these, about Rs 3 lakh worth medicines are being sent to the 11 PHCs along with masks, sanitisers, thermal screening instruments and other things. The medicines have already reached Kuppam on Tuesday which are being separated to each PHC.

All the equipment will be distributed on May 28 on the occasion of NTR's birth anniversary, he said. On behalf of NTR Trust, nutritious food is also being distributed to patients' attendants at the government hospital. Food is also being supplied to those under home quarantine as the families are falling sick.

Once they get the requirement, NTR Trust volunteers are delivering the food including breakfast, lunch and dinner at their homes daily.

Naidu held a teleconference with TDP leaders in the constituency recently and directed them to get involved in relief operations. He also wrote a letter to the Collector to set up Covid care centres in the constituency.