Medics and essential service workers have been on working tirelessly round the clock for a year to battle the deadly coronavirus. And now, when the number of Covid patients is on the rise, many of these workers have no choice but to relentlessly serve the rest.
One such person is Shankar Majhi, an oxygen tanker driver in Mysuru, who hasn’t seen his family for the past year and is working tirelessly to transport oxygen without a break.
According to The New Indian Express, Majhi didn’t go back home last year when the pandemic began. Instead, he stayed and worked. Currently, he, along with his co-driver Mohammed Hakeekath make three trips to Koppal every week to transport oxygen.
“Many lives depend on this oxygen. In such an emergency situation, we do not even stop for tea through the entire eight-hour journey. During the decanting too, we have to be around, and until the tanker reaches the oxygen plant again, we are on our toes,” he said.
Majhi is a father of 5 daughters and a son. Every time he speaks to his daughters on the phone, he wants to go back home.
“Every time my daughters call, I feel like going back, but my duty is more important now,” he said.
Despite surviving on basic pay, not getting paid extra for working extra hours, and risking his life, Majhi continues to work.
“We never thought it would become like this, but when we see patients around the hospitals where we deliver oxygen, we cannot complain and we just forget the need for rest,” he said.
Have a look at his interview here:
Watch our video story about Shankar Mahji, an oxygen tanker driver, who has not seen his kids since last #COVID19 wave and is on a hectic schedule now, ensuring supply of oxygen to patients, @UdayUdayphoto2@XpressBengaluru @NewIndianXpress #COVID19India #CovidIndia @santwana99 pic.twitter.com/A8TD6HnPtW
— Ajith M S (@ajithms) April 27, 2021
Kudos to Shankar Majhi for his selfless service during such a critical time!