Chennai, May 31 (IANS): In a major move to make Kovalam the first 100 per cent vaccinated locality of Chennai, volunteers attached with social trusts have announced biriyani to all who take vaccination and gifts like gold coins, refrigerator, washing machine, two-wheeler, grinder, mobile phones and saris through a lucky draw from among those vaccinated.
Three welfare trusts -- STS foundation which is managed by Kovalam youngsters, CN Ramdas champions memorial trust in memory of a late IAS officer Ramdas and 1992 Don Bosco Aluminus group in Chennai have joined hands together and pooled in Rs 50 lakh for the project of total inoculation.
The youths and the voluntary organisations of the area have joined together as only 50 people had taken the jab from among the 6,000 odd residents.
The voluntary organisations grouped to open a vaccination camp at Kelambakkam Primary Health Centre with five medical staff to conduct the inoculation. The Chengalpet district administration will provide the vaccines free to the camp.
J. Sundar, trustee of STS foundation while speaking to IANS said, "We opened the camp at Kelambakkam Primary Health centre with the support of the Chengelpet district administration on Saturday and the first day saw 100 people taking vaccinations and 500 have already registered for the coming days."
He said that there was misinformation against the vaccine across these areas and the voluntary organisations had to step in to clear the misconceptions and to create awareness among the public.
R. Gireesh from CN Ramadas memorial trust while speaking to IANS said, "In order to clear this misconception, we had to innovate something and hence we had to adopt a strategy to make people overcome the hesitancy and inoculate themselves. We expect that more people will come to the camp following these prizes and the biriyani which we are providing to every single person who vaccinates."
They have already roped in Tamil TV stars and created short videos using these actors to create awareness on vaccination and the prizes on offer. These videos are then circulated in local WhatsApp groups.
Gireesh said, "We have already contacted our friends in the USA, the UK and other foreign countries to pool in more resources and to make vaccination quite popular."
The groups are planning to extend this to 10 more localities in Chennai and to get around 50,000 people vaccinated.
J. Sundar of STS holdings said, "We are planning to extend this to other localities around Chennai and create more awareness on vaccination and as an icing on the cake we have announced the gifts and biriyani also. Funds are a problem but we will overcome that."
The three groups are running a Covid care centre in Velachery with oxygen beds for free.