COVID-19: Hardik, Krunal Pandya to donate 200 oxygen concentrators in rural areas
New Delhi, May 1: Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya on Saturday announced that his entire family, including brother Krunal, will donate 200 oxygen concentrators to help the rural areas of the country fight the raging COVID-19 pandemic.
Talking ahead of his team's match against Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, Hardik said his family had been looking for ways to help those in need.
"Gratitude to all the medical staff, frontline workers and all the individuals who have come out and held their hands at such times to fight out the battle," Hardik said.
"Krunal, myself and my mother -- basically our entire family, we were finding ways at trying to help out. We decided to donate 200 oxygen concentrators to the rural parts of India where I feel the medical infrastructure needs more support," he added.
India is reeling under the second wave of the pandemic with cases rising rapidly, the crisis compounded by shortage of some crucial medicines and oxygen supplies.
The country recorded over four lakh cases since Friday.
"We all understand it's difficult, we want to show our gratitude, support and just want to tell everyone that they're always there in our prayers," Hardik added.
Several cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar, Shikhar Dhawan and Jaydev Undakat, Australians Pat Cummins and Brett Lee, and West Indies' Nicholas Pooran also stepped up to help in the fight against COVID-19.
IPL sides are also pitching in. Rajasthan Royals have raised 7.5 crore while Delhi Capitals contributed Rs 1.5 crore for the cause.
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Double-decker electric bus gutted in fire at Kurla BEST depot
Mumbai (PTI): An empty double-decker electric bus was gutted in a fire during servicing at a BEST depot in Mumbai's Kurla area on Sunday, officials said, adding that nobody was injured.
The blaze broke out inside the Kurla BEST bus depot near Kanakia Building at 4.14 pm, according to preliminary information from the Mumbai Fire Brigade.
The parked bus was unoccupied at the time of the incident.
Fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. The exact cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, they said.
No injuries were reported in the incident, officials added.
The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking has hired 50 electric double-decker buses from Switch Mobility in its fleet of around 2,700 buses.
