The masks are being prepared by the women, who arepart of 261 self help groups (SHGs), under the guidance of theAssam State Urban Livelihoods Mission (ASULM).
Nearly 77,000 masks prepared by them have already beendistributed among the people in different parts of the state,he said.
President of Guwahati-based 'Niribili SHG' DiptiKumari said, the group had made a huge number of 'Gamosas'(Assamese scarves) for the Bihu festival, but it remainedunsold due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and subsequentnationwide lockdown.
"After consultation with the ASULM, we started makingmasks from the cotton 'Gamosas'. In this way, we are trying torecover our losses. As the market is mostly closed, the ASULMhas taken our products for distribution," she told here.
Kumari informed that the SHG is making special masksfor children which are in high demand as normal medical masksdo not not come in smaller size.
"It is giving us a sense of satisfaction while makingthe masks. It feels good to help society in some way duringthis crisis," Kumari said.
Rashmi Rekha Kakati, the secretary of Nagaon's 'RunjunSHG', said, initially masks were being made with normal cottonfabric, but now the unsold 'Gamosas' were being used.
"We are supplying our two-layered masks tomunicipality offices, shops and pharmacies. Now, the ASULM isalso sourcing it from us for distribution in differentlocalities," she added.
Kakati said that the ASULM had provided the initialcapital to start the work, but now it has become self-sustaining.
"We are also helping the poor in our locality bydistributing relief materials. The ASULM is supporting us inevery sphere and has given us a big platform," she said.
When contacted, ASULM director Suvasish Das was allpraise for the women of the SHGs.
"The entire exercise is the endeavour of our brave andhardworking women.
"We have only linked them to the market so that theyget their due price and the product is affordable for people,"he told .
Some of the major clients of these masks includemunicipal boards, PSU majors ONGC and OIL India, NortheastFrontier Railway, district administrations and NGOs apart fromlocal residents, shopkeepers and pharmacies, he added.
"In one of the major contracts, the NFR contractorsupplied 15,000 masks from four SHGs in Rangia.
"Gradually, the orders are increasing after theCentre made wearing masks mandatory and the women are tryinghard to meet the demand," Das said.
He informed that these fully hand woven masks arebeing made as per COVID-19 guidelines of the Government ofIndia, and are being constantly monitored by the ASULMpersonnel.
Making the homemade masks is also generatinglivelihood opportunities for the women SHG members in thelockdown period.
The masks are priced between Rs 20 and Rs 40 perpiece, the ASULM director said.
Assam has 97 urban local bodies and around 15,000 SHGsare registered with the ULBs, he said.
The ASULM has trained over 7,000 paramedics so far andthe list has been provided to the state Health and FamilyWelfare Department for their possible engagement during thebattle against novel coronavirus.
"The Health department sought the list on how manypeople we have trained so far. We have given the list to thedepartment.
"The people who have been trained can work as nursingassistants, physiotherapists, and can be put on generalhospital duty," he said. TRMM MM