Trust handing out 10 lakh free masks

A philanthropic trust has pledged to donate 10 lakh eco-friendly masks in Bengaluru.

The campaign is titled ‘Let’s Mask India’ and is the brainchild of a textile entrepreneur.

RK Trust says it has already handed out two lakh masks, and four lakh more are ready.

Ramesh Kumar Shah, founder of RK Group, has been in the textile business in Bengaluru for 40 years.

“When we saw that a lot of masks people were using were not biodegradable, we realised masks made with good fabric were the need of the hour,” he says.

He says the masks are reusable and can be washed up to 50 times.

The lockdown resulted in closed garment factories and people losing jobs, and Shah thought making masks would keep the workers busy.

“This was the time not only to save lives but also livelihoods,” he says.

The three-ply cotton masks were first distributed to frontline workers and people in containment zones, hotspots and densely populated areas.

“We want to distribute masks in slum areas. Our vision is to distribute 10 crore masks in the long run,” he adds.

BBMP is the government partner for distribution.

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