A young mukhiya of tribal dominated Dumdumi Panchayat of Topchanchi block, about 30 km away from the district headquarters is creating Covid awareness and dispelling misinformation through his wall paintings.
Vikash Mahto, 32, a former student union leader of Guru Nanak College, Dhanbad was elected as the youngest mukhiya of the district at the age of 26 in 2015 from Dumdumi Panchayat after completing his graduation and working incessantly creating awareness about various welfare and development schemes through innovative ways.
Talking to The Telegraph Online Mahto said,“We also created similar awareness during the first phase of pandemic last year, apprising people about the do’s and don’ts regarding Covid by carrying out wall paintings.“
“During the second phase we began the awareness drive ever since the beginning of vaccination drive in the district on January 16 through door to contact but later decided to extend the awareness through wall paintings about a month ago,” said Mahto and added that the young artist of his panchayat, Mahendra Kumar is helping him in making wall paintings as he is not a skilled painter itself.
“We chose such places in the panchayat for making wall paintings or carrying out wall writings where the majority of people visit like panchayat buildings, government school buildings, aanganbadi centres and PDS shops” said Singh.
“While some of the paintings and wall writings are meant to dispel the misinformation about vaccinations and apprising them about the benefits of early vaccinations, in others important toll free numbers and control room number like the district control room number for Covid, toll free for vaccination, control room number for vaccination in rural areas, control room number for After event following immunization etc are mentioned” said Mahto.
“In one of the wall writings we have also mentioned the names of common medicines being used during the pandemic period and prescribed doses to be taken as part of Covid awareness,” further added Mahto.
“In villages, people due to lack of information, try to conceal their ailments due to lack of information so the toll free helps them to clear the their doubts,” said Mahto and added that in some of the wall painting they highlighted the significance of observing covid protocols like sporting masks and maintaining social distance.
“So far it seems that the awareness has had some impact as no person in our Panchayat has been affected due to Covid” said Mahto and added that ever since his student days he used wall paintings for creating awareness.
“I also created awareness in the village about environmental conservation through wall painting besides the government schemes like beti bachao beti padhao, campaign against female foeticide etc” elaborated Mahto.
Mahendra Prasad Mahto, a villager of Dumdumi Panchayat who operates a Customer Service Point in the village said, “Yes indeed the wall paintings have served the purpose of creating awareness about Vaccination in our village.”
