Khurda: A social activist cum reporter, Dhaneswar Bidhar is spreading awareness about coronavirus among people here, particularly unruly bikers, in a ghost get-up.
Donned in a black dress with a skull like mask, Bidhar, a resident of Khurda town, is moving around villages on a bike, making people aware about the dangers of coronavirus and how can they keep the disease at bay.
He urges people to remain inside their houses unless they have urgent work outside. He makes people understand the importance of maintaining social distancing and wearing masks.
Bidhar was Wednesday seen at the new bus stand in Khurda town in the same ghost get-up, making bike riders and car drivers aware about how the deadly virus can be defeated. He was doing so in the presence of Khurda Adarsh police station inspector-in-charge Umashankar Singh.
He said his campaign against coronavirus would continue till the last week of April. “After three days in Khurda, I will launch my campaign in Nayagarh and Ganjam. My aim is to reach out to maximum number of people during my campaign period,” Bidhar said.
“It gives me immense pleasure when I feel I could able to make at least one in a day understand the advantages of remaining inside, washing hands and wearing masks,” he added.
Like Bidhar, a sarpanch and his friend have to don the roles of a ‘Chakulia Panda’ (devotional bard) and his associate respectively to create awareness about coronavirus among people at Baulabandh panchayat under Chilika block. Debasish Rath, the sarpanch, and his friend are moving around villages, advising them not to come out of their houses, wash their hands in soap, maintain social distancing and wear masks. They said their style of creating awareness is bearing fruits as they find people listening to them with rapt attention.
PNN