The coronavirus pandemic has rattled the whole world . India has been hit very badly with the second wave of COVID-19. Uttarakhand was among the worst affected states in India and the situation was very critical there. The people living there in small towns were struggling to cope with the pandemic. The beds in Hospitals are full, patients were not getting oxygen, and the death cases were increasing. People were trying from post to pillars for arranging oxygen cylinders in some way or other to save lives. In such tough times, one Research Scholar and philanthropist from Surat proved to be a blessing for the people in Bageshwar district, Uttarakhand.

Mr. Gopal Giri Goswami, a Surat-based Research Scholar is originally from Bamradi village in Bageshwar district. With a noble aim to help the people in his native town, Mr Gopal Giri sent an Oxygen Generation Plant (OGP) worth Rs 38 lakh from Gujarat to Bageshwar at his own expense. The OGP was set up upon its arrival at the Trauma Centre of the District Hospital within a week.

Through this kind deed, Mr Gopal Giri helped people afflicted with COVID-19 in arranging for oxygen supply through the Oxygen Generation Plant (OGP). The beds in hospitals were full and there is a scarcity of oxygen cylinders in the whole country. Several patients need oxygen provision even at their homes as they struggle to breathe & pass this tough phase.

Mr Gopal came to know about the scarcity of the oxygen cylinders at the District Hospital, Bageshwar and the dire situation of people staying there. He found out that the situation was so worse that those affected with COVID-19 were unable to arrange for oxygen cylinders due to their financial limitations. To address these problems, Mr Gopal took matters in his own hands. He collected all the necessary information about the process and made all the arrangements from Surat itself. With the guidance of the officials of the Health Department, he dispatched the OGP from Gujarat. On June 12, Saturday, the plant had reached New Delhi by transport. He faced many challenges during this entire process, but he did not lose hope or give up in such tough times. Instead he helped procure the oxygen plant as early as possible and sent it from Surat to Bageshwar quickly and without any fatalities.

Gopal has gone out of his way and is constantly helping the people of Uttarakhand ever since the lockdown had commenced. Apart from the provision of Oxygen Plant, he also made it a point to send the numerous villagers and migrants stuck at different places back to their homes safe and sound. He is working tirelessly and dedicatedly to provide the best help to the people of the Bageshwar district. He has been very generous and kind to initiate such a good cause and helping people in his native village. In the face of a spiralling Covid-19 crisis, Gopal’s  such social initiative has boosted oxygen supplies in small town of Uttarakhand, providing a new lease of life to thousands of people.