India: Kerala farmer on a mission to disinfect homes of COVID-19 patients, free of cost

Dubai: A farmer, in the Indian state of Kerala, has decided to do his part in fighting the pandemic. He is disinfecting and sanitising the houses of all COVID-19 patients in his neighbourhood, not just free of cost, but also with his own spraying equipment. The 51-year-old farmer Latheef Kolath from Edappal, in the state’s Malappuram district, is gaining praise on social media, for his efforts.

Reportedly, Kolath’s decision came after some health department officials in his locality approached him, hoping to borrow the sprayers that he used for disinfectants in his farm and paddy fields. They wanted to use them to disinfect coronavirus patients’ homes.

Kolath said: “They came asking for my sprayers. But I decided to do it myself because the battery-operated sprayers need special care and it should be handled with care. I was a bit apprehensive in the beginning because of the risk of getting infected, but now I feel happy to be part of the fight against the pandemic.”

In the last two weeks, Kolath has apparently managed to sanitise over 35 houses in Edappal, while strictly adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols.

He said: “First, I used a raincoat and a plastic boot as protective gear while sanitising the houses. But, I bought a PPE kit later on.”

He said that his wife and son were initially hesitant about Kolath’s decision, as they feared his safety. They finally agreed after he convinced them about the safety guidelines.

Kolath added: “The health department is extending all support. They have given me enough quantity of high-quality bleaching powder for disinfection.”

However, it is not an easy task for the farmer, who wakes up early morning to start working on his feild at 5am. He works till 3pm, and goes out on the sanitisation drive after 4pm. “I have set up a separate bathroom to sanitise the PPE kit and myself after each assignment,” he said.

He added that he owns six sprayers but has kept one exclusively for his sanitisation mission. “People from the nearby Ponnani municipality have also approached me to disinfect their homes. Some people offer me money but I politely refuse to take it,” Kolath said according to the report.