Moved by the plight of COVID-19 patients and the growing scramble for medical oxygen, a farmer from Neemuch district in Madhya Pradesh has donated ₹2 lakh he had set aside for his daughter's lavish marriage to the local administration for buying the life-saving gas.
Champalal Gurjar, who hails from Gwal Deviyan village, has handed over a cheque of ₹two lakh to district collector Mayank Agrawal for buying two cylinders of medical oxygen one for the district hospital and another for Jeeran Tehsil where he lives.
Gurjar, who survives on farming, said he raised his daughter Anita with great care and wished that her marriage, which took place on Sunday, was a grand ceremony.
However, the pandemic situation made Gurjar change his mind at the last moment.
"....So to make my daughter's marriage memorable I donated two lakh to the district administration so that they can buy two oxygen cylinders," he added.
Anita said the noble deed of her father left her overwhelmed with joy.
"Right now, there is a dire need for medical oxygen given the surge in COVID-19 cases," she said.
{{/usCountry}}"Right now, there is a dire need for medical oxygen given the surge in COVID-19 cases," she said.
{{/usCountry}}Collector Agrawal praised Gurjar's gesture.
"If others take a cue from the farmer and donate, the fight against the pandemic will become a lot easier," he said.
As of Sunday, Madhya Pradesh's caseload stood at 4,99,304 and toll to 5,133, as per the state health department.