Sonu Sood, Kumar Vishwas back poet’s Covid care campaign in Rae Bareli
LUCKNOW : Bollywood actor Sonu Sood and noted poet Kumar Vishwas have supported the campaign ‘Aao Gaon Bachayein’ started by comic poet and satirist Pankaj Prasun. Under the campaign, residents of 30 villages in six gram panchayat blocks of Rae Bareli district would be provided Covid medicines, oximeters, thermometers and ration kits along with oxygen support in Covid care centres.
Poet Pankaj Prasun said, “I tagged my tweet for need of oxygen concentrators for rural masses to Sonu Sood and Dr Kumar Vishwas. The latter retweeted it, saying ‘Sonu Sood, please send three oxygen concentrators for the poor or else I will arrange from Ghaziabad.’ Within a few minutes Sonu Sood tweeted: ‘ Be assured , it will reach! Just send me your address (samjho pahunch gaya , aap pata bhejo).’”
He said, “I was surprised to see a busy Bollywood actor reacting to our tweets within five minutes. You all know there is only one L3 hospital in Rae Bareli. There is a long wait in other hospitals which are either L1 or L2. But during Covid everyone has felt the importance of oxygen in saving lives.
That’s why these oxygen concentrators would be very important for the rural masses.”
He said , “I turned Covid positive on April 7 during which time I realized how difficult it is to get treated for Covid . During the recovery I kept on thinking about the way I can help those who are living in rural areas, and I came up with this idea.”
He said, “With limited resources we have selected six gram sabhas of Sahjaura, Lohra, Raula, Domapur, Mustafabad Belhani, Mau Garvi, Govindpur and Merui under which around 32 villages would be covered. We will request the authorities to allow panchayat bhawans and schools for Covid care centres, from where we can distribute our ration kits, medicine kits , thermometers, oximeters and provide oxygen.”
Pankaj Prasun said, “When I tweeted to Kumar Vishwas for help, he immediately responded by donating Covid care kits for the campaign. He said the real ‘dharma’ of poets was service and that his team would remain in contact with me.”
Dr Kumar Vishwas said , “It’s an honour to serve humanity. I will be happy to do more for the rural masses with Pankaj Prasun and Sonu Sood.”
I was surprised to see a Bollywood actor reacting to our tweets within 5 minutes. PANKAJ PRASUN, Poet