Actor Ajay Devgn has paid for oxygen cylinders and ventilators that will be used in a makeshift quarantine facility in the heart of Mumbai’s Dharavi. The congested locality, often described as Asia’s largest slum, has proven to be a challenge for authorities working to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner of G-North, told Mumbai Mirror that the actor readily paid for invaluable equipment for the facility, opened on Monday.
“We told him we needed oxygen cylinders for all 200 beds and two portable ventilators. He readily agreed to pay for them,” he said.
The actor made the contribution through his Ajay Devgn Films Foundation. BMC official said that the actor had earlier provided ration kits for 700 families in Dharavi.
On May 27, the actor had called for donations in a tweet, and had written, “Dharavi is at the epicentre of the Covid19 outbreak.Many citizens supported by MCGM are working tirelessly on ground through NGOs to provide the needy with ration & hygiene kits. We at ADFF are helping 700 families.I urge you to also donate.”
The 200-bed facility, constructed in 15 days, will house four doctors, 12 nurses and 20 ward attendants. The facility will only be used for Covid-19 patients, except those that are very critical.
Maharashtra, and especially Mumbai, have the highest number of coronavirus cases in the country. As on Monday, the state has around 34000 active cases, according to CM Uddhav Thackeray.
Previously, actor Akshay Kumar had donated Rs 25 crore to the PM-Cares relief fund, actor Shah Rukh Khan had offered his office premises as a quarantine facility to the BMC, and actor Sonu Sood had spearheaded a community-driven effort to transport migrant workers to their home states. —HT
