Essar Bulk Terminal Limited (EBTL), Hazira, recently donated 2,000 COVID-19 AG (Rapid Antigen Test) kits to the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC). The kits, valued at over Rs 8 lakh, will help strengthen SMC’s response towards the pandemic. The donations were received by the Honorable Surat Municipal Commissioner, Banchhanidhi Pani, from EBTL’s representatives, Karsan Dodia, Vice President - O&M and Capt Rituparn Raghuvanshi – Vice President, Marine.

In a statement made at the handover ceremony, the Honorable Commissioner stated that since the beginning of the pandemic, SMC had emphasised the vital importance of testing as part of a comprehensive strategy to control COVID-19 transmission. He thanked EBTL Hazira for helping SMC to scale up life-saving interventions that are aimed at curbing the spread of the pandemic in Surat. He appreciated EBTL’s commitment to support sustained implementation of COVID-19 response interventions.

The Honorable Commissioner also observed that the donations by EBTL have come in at the right time, as efforts are being made to decentralise city-level COVID-19 testing for ensuring greater accessibility and affordability.