Free petrol to people getting vaccinated in W Singhbhum

At a time when fuel prices have skyrocketed past the ₹100-mark, a vaccination camp was providing people with one litre of free petrol for getting vaccinated against Covid-19 at Chakradharpur in West Singhbhum district. The idea was to inspire people to get vaccinated, officials said on Tuesday.

The unique vaccination camp was held jointly by Chakradharpur unit of Marwari Yuva Manch (MYM) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) at Devi Fuels in Chakradharpur. State women and child development and social security minister Joba Majhi inaugurated the camp in presence of the West Singhbhum deputy commissioner (DC) Ananya Mittal, Chakradharpur SDO Abhijit Sinha and SDPO Nathu Singh Meena on Monday.

“We held this special vaccination drive at Devi Fuels in Chakradharpur in collaboration with IOC. A total of 240 persons were given coupons to avail one litre petrol for free after they got themselves vaccinated against Covid-19 at the camp. The idea was to inspire people for inoculation against the pandemic,” Nitesh Kumar Bagaria, secretary of MYM-Chakradharpur, said.

As many as 134 persons have died of Covid-19 so far in West Singhbhum.

Praising the organisers, Majhi said people should not pay heed to rumours about vaccination.

Talks were also on with tribal village heads, panchayat mukhiyas, political leaders and intellectuals to convince people to get vaccinated, said Mittal.

This was significant as West Singhbhum has been facing challenges in convincing tribal village residents to get vaccinated due to widespread rumours about the vaccine leading to “impotency”. Moreover, health workers were also attacked in few villages during vaccination drive, officials said.

The DC also chaired a meeting with village heads in this regard in Bandgaon block of the district. “Vaccination coverage is very low at just 9% in Bandgaon block. The vaccination rate in West Singhbhum is 30% whereas 60% people in neighbouring East Singhbhum district have been vaccinated. The third wave of Covid-19 is expected in last week of July and more and more people need to get vaccinated before that. I urge people not to pay any heed to rumours about vaccination,” Mittal said.

Meanwhile, the Chaibasa unit of Lions’ Club and Chaibasa Gurudwara jointly started a vaccination camp from Monday, where lucky draw coupons were given to people after getting vaccinated. The camp will run till June 20.