Munmun Sarkar, a toto driver in Siliguri, is transporting coronavirus patients to hospitals and back, free of costs. The 48-year-old also delivers essentials, grocery, medicines, among others, to those who are infected with the novel coronavirus and/or are in home isolation, according to reports.
Munmun Sarkar, the Shaktigarh resident, is already a pioneer in the city as the first woman Toto driver of Siliguri. Now, amid the pandemic, she is breaking new grounds as a frontline warrior behind the wheels. The idea to start this initiative came to her when she realised that COVID-19 patients were facing a lot of discrimination and stigma.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Munmun Sarkar, a women toto driver, offers free rides to COVID-19 patients in Siliguri.
- Despite suffering a financial burden, continues to help and protect her community.
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“Most drivers refuse to carry Covid patients out of fear of catching the infection. Even ambulances charge huge amounts. Those who have recovered from Covid-19 and have tested negative also find it difficult to arrange transport to go home,” Munmun said.
Till date, Munmun said she has ferried around 100 and more patients or those who have recovered from COVID-19. She also does not charge any fare from them. “I realised many were not in a position to pay at a time like this... amid all their expense and stress. That is why I decided not to charge fares from any passenger who is infected or has just been cured,” Munmun said.
As she ferries COVID-19 patients, she has to spend an extra Rs 3,000 on sanitisation. Munmun wears a PPE kit, carries a thermal testing gun in her toto, and sanitises her vehicle twice a day. Also, before boarding any passenger on her vehicle, she gets him or her sanitised.
She says that the moment she started ferrying COVID-19 patients, the number of healthy passengers who used to avail her services dropped. Moreover, as she charges fares only from non-COVID-19 passengers, her earnings have also dropped to Rs 6,000 per month now from Rs 8,000 per month earlier.
Over and above the financial stress, Munmun has had to overcome prejudices in her neighbourhood. “People used to tease and shout at me but this did not stop me,” she said.
Her husband, Ananda, 56, who is in the construction business and earns around Rs 15,000 a month, has been a source of constant support, she said. “We stay in different rooms after I started ferrying Covid-19 patients as a precaution.”
She is quick to respond to calls from COVID-19 patients in home isolation. “I understand their mental state. They’re ill and many people are scared to help them. At a time like this, if I can bring them their essentials, they get some respite,” she said.
The persistent Munmun now wishes to drive an ambulance soon.
Picture Credit: The Telegraph
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Alankrita Arora is an intern at SheThePeople.Tv
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