Coronavirus: I-League side Real Kashmir provide PPEs to healthcare workers fighting pandemic

The Real Kashmir Football Club, that has made its mark in the sport, stepped in to help the Jammu and Kashmir administration as well as the army by providing Personal Protection Equipments and masks for health workers to fight the novel coronavirus.

Sandeep Chattoo, owner of the football club, on Monday handed over 150 PPE kits, 3,000 gloves and 15,000 surgical masks to Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, who has been at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19 after the first case surfaced in the district on March 18.

Chattoo thanked Choudhary for the exemplary work done by him and his team in containing the disease and taking all proactive steps to prevent its spread.

“I wanted to personally hand over to DC as he has been leading the team from the front. Very few of us know that he stays away from his family, living barely a kilometer away so that he could serve people of the district. Now the onus lies on us and we should ensure that we strictly adhere to the orders of the government and stay indoors,” Chattoo, who also owns the hotel CH2, said.

RKFC gave 150 Personal Protection Equipment kits, 3,000 gloves and 15,000 surgical masks to the district administration.

He said the material handed over was a “small token of gesture to the massive efforts” being undertaken by the Srinagar district administration led by the Deputy Commissioner under the able guidance of Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam and overall supervision of Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir GC Murmu.

“I am aware of the fact that this humble offer of contribution in our fight against the pandemic may be a drop in the ocean but at this critical period, we all should come forward and help in whatever way we can.

“With the threat due to the pandemic looming large over the entire globe, what worries me is the safety of our health workers, who are the frontline warriors in this fight. We at the RKFC salute these doctors, nurses and other health care workers who have been working selflessly and relentlessly even at the peril of putting their lives at risk,” Chattoo said.

Earlier, Chattoo handed over 150 PPE kits and 10,000 surgical face masks to the army at the BB Cantonment for use at the 92 Base hospital, the backbone of health care to officers, jawans and security forces in the strategically-based XV Corps. Even civilians are treated in some of the cases. The consignment was handed over to senior officers of the army.

Later, Lt Gen BS Raju, General Officer-in Command of XV Corps, appreciated the gesture of Chattoo and said this shows the deep bond that exists between Awam (public), army and security forces in the Kashmir Valley.

“The bond is strong between all of us and such gesture from good samaritan is deeply appreciated and I am sure together we will be able to fight Covid-19,” Lt Gen Raju said.