Indian tech leaders come forward to help breathless India

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More than two weeks after oxygen shortages were reported across India, particularly in the national capital, many technology leaders have come forward to help the citizens. "We have sourced supplies for oxygen concentrators of different sizes while we place the order using our own money. We want you to join hands in solving #OxygenShortage," Vijay Shekhar, Founder Paytm said in a tweet on Sunday.

"Donate here https://paytm.com/offer/donateoxygen and we will match your contribution and use it to source OCs. Also, do RT," he added.

Foodtech platform Zomato on Wednesday rolled out a priority delivery feature for Covid-19 emergencies, including oxygen, Chief Executive Officer Deepinder Goyal announced on Twitter. "Zomato Feeding India, our not-for-profit has kickstarted the "Help Save My Indiaa endeavour today in association with @delhivery to source oxygen concentrators and related supplies to help hospitals and families in need," Goyal tweeted.

He also called up start-ups and companies to contribute at this crucial hour. "We have already kickstarted the effort, and now need your help to raise a,50 crores for @FeedingIndia in the next few days (hours?) to save hundreds of thousands of lives. If we raise more, we will get more oxygen. Domestic donors go here - https://zoma.to/oxygen," he added.

Under its "feed the daily wager" campaign, initiated last year, Zomato distributed 78 million meals for poor who lost access to livelihood, it said. The second wave of Covid has turned more deadly as more and more people this time are complaining of breathlessness and need oxygen support. However, the sudden spike in demand across cities has led to severe shortage.

Several major hospitals in Delhi have repeatedly come close to running out of oxygen and have sent SOS messages. Besides Delhi, hospitals across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh are also facing an oxygen shortage. "I'm willing to fund hospitals in India that need funding to import bulk planeloads of oxygen or supplies into India to increase supply. Public hospitals/NGO's also pls reach out," Vinod Khosla, technology guru and entrepreneur, said in a tweet on Sunday.

A lot of people have also turned to social media to find oxygen or a hospital bed for their friends and family. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual meeting with the leading oxygen manufacturers to address the acute shortage of medical oxygen and oxygen cylinders across the country.

India on Sunday reported a record daily rise of 349,691 new coronavirus infections, taking its overall tally to 1,69,60,172. A total of 2,767 people were reported dead on Sunday, according to health ministry data, taking total coronavirus fatalities to 192,311.

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