A gurudwara in the city on Friday started providing oxygen concentrators to people across communities and social strata.

Gurdwara Bara Sikh Sangat, on MG Road, through the service wants to reach out to those in need of oxygen in the middle of a raging pandemic, when emergencies are surfacing in homes at any time of the day or night. “We can convey the information to the Sikh community through the gurdwara. But we want to reach out to people from other communities with oxygen support,” said Gangandeep Singh, spokesperson, Gurdwara Bara Sikh Sangat.

They have started with 20 oxygen concentrators that have been donated by two Sikh families in the US and Canada.

People have to approach them with a Covid-positive report for a concentrator. “We are giving it out for five days initially. We expect people to return it once the requirement is over,” said Ajit Singh Bari, vice-president, Gurdwara Bara Sikh Sangat, who was instrumental in organising the concentrators.

The service is being offered for free and the idea is that it should reach the poor who cannot buy concentrators.

The service was started on Friday in the presence of Bari, T.S. Walia, the president of Khalsa English High School, and MLA Vivek Gupta.

Call: 9830920011, 9830355486, 9830312393 or 9815212336

Across the city, several other organisations have come forward to provide oxygen support to Covid patients.

A 50-year-old man in New Alipore who had lost his mother a few days back was struggling to breathe. He managed to call the helpline of NGO Kolkata Gives around midnight asking for oxygen support and a concentrator was delivered at his doorstep.

Kolkata Gives has procured 250 oxygen concentrators for people in the city and the districts. Of the 250, 100 have been sent to the Sunderbans.

“We are receiving requests throughout the day and night. In most cases, we are asking people to collect the concentrator and return it. We send a video to every user so they can use the concentrator,” said Anant Nevatia, trustee, Kolkata Gives.

Call: 9696022022

Samaritan Help Mission in Howrah-Tikiapara is another NGO that is providing oxygen cylinders and concentrators.

“There is no discrimination between the rich and the poor, the idea is to give to whoever needs. But an appeal to those who can afford — donate whatever you can so that we can help more people,” said Mamoon Akhtar, the founder of the NGO.

Call: 9836777600, 9339837017

The New Town authorities and an NGO in the area have started an initiative where oxygen cylinders will be delivered for free to Covid patients.

Volunteers of the New Town Forum and News, the NGO, are coordinating the logistics of delivering the cylinders. There are trained personnel to operate the oxygen flow meters.

A helpline has been set up and the oxygen cylinders will be available around the clock. Call: 18001037652

Gurdwara Garcha Road will start an oxygen concentrator service when a consignment arrives on Sunday.

Call: 9830920011, 9432363890, 9903820164, 9831123925

Free oxygen support is available at Gurdwara Behala.

Call: 18002579655

A club in Rajdanga is providing oxygen support.

Call: 9875386038, 9051737131, 6289007703, 033-24421902

Gurdwara Dunlop has started a service with five oxygen concentrators that can be collected from Dunlop.

Call: 9433946454