‘Jugaad’ in corona time: Leaves, tissue paper become masks
Contrary to hue and cry over shortage of masks all across India, people in Chhattisgarh are not complaining. People in the state have turned to various ways to make masks. Leaves, hankies and tissue papers are being used to make masks to meet the urgent demands of the health emergency.
The tradition tribal knowledge of making cups and other utilities out of tree leaves has come in handy for the adivasis in remote pockets of Bastar region in this period of crisis. Tribals are preparing masks out of leaves, now popularly called “biomask” in the region.
Tribal women and men were currently seen moving wearing “bio-masks” in villages in south Bastar districts of Narayanpur, Sukma and Bijapur.
“We have received reports of tribals in remote pockets of Bastar using masks made of leaves due to coronavirus outbreak. This clearly indicates that awareness has already been generated among the tribals in Bastar on the virus outbreak. It is a good development,” P. Sunderraj, Bastar range inspector general of police, told this newspaper.
Mr Sunderraj however appeared worried about possible Maoist plan to disrupt efforts of local administrations to protect the tribals from virus infection. Maoists had earlier this week ambushed a search party of security personnel in south Bastar district of Sukma and killed 17 soldiers.
The urban people in Chhattisgarh have also been seen making up with the acute shortage of medical masks by using handkerchiefs and tissue papers to cover their mouth and noses.
“There is acute shortage of medical masks in the market. They are selling at highly inflated price of Rs 150 per piece against the actual price of Rs 5. Hence, people have no option but to use hankies and tissue papers as masks when they venture outside,” eminent tax consultant of Raipur in Chhattisgarh, Ajey Dewta, told this newspaper.
Meanwhile, some enterprising businessmen in Raipur have started placing orders with the local tailors to make designer masks to attract customers, particularly the women, leading masks to appear in various hues and shapes such as stars and ribbons.