Luton couple will tackle Mount Snowdon in aid of Oxygen For India Emergency Appeal

A determined Luton couple are taking on Mount Snowdon in order to raise urgent funds for the Oxygen For India Emergency Appeal.

Rohit 'Rob' Kotecha, and his wife, Neeta Kotecha, will be tackling the mountain on Saturday, June 26, after hearing that COVID-19 had brought the healthcare systems in India to the brink of collapse.

Run by the British Asian Trust, the money will help to provide urgently needed oxygen concentrators, PSA plants (oxygen generators), medical supplies, and tele medical linkages to remote villages.

Rob and Neeta told the Luton News: "Although we have never lived in India, usually when we hear of disasters that happen in somewhere in the world we tend to do our bit by way of a donation.

"However, this issue struck a cord not simply because we are of Indian origin, but because it was very sad to see people dying because there was no oxygen available to them; families were going from hospital to hospital trying to find a bed and being turned away, as there was no oxygen available and no bed.

"We just felt we could do something more to help."

Rob and Neeta will be walking up Llanberis path, a route that should take approximately four hours each way.

The couple have so far raised £1,153 through family, friends, and work colleagues, and hope that kind Luton readers can spare some money to help the desperate situation in India.

Rob said: "We are looking forward to the challenge; we just want to make sure we prepare well, pace the climb correctly, follow the rules and get back safely.

"We are going take things like sandwiches, water, and perhaps a flask with some tea to keep us going.

"I am sure it will be fine and hope it turns out to be an enjoyable day. What would make it even better is if we were to obtain some pledges or sponsorships and boost the fund a bit more. It would make all the effort more worthwhile."

Meanwhile, Rob has also been busy setting up a petition on Change.Org entitled: 'Send more oxygen generators for India’s covid crisis'.

After reading predictions that the death toll from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic in India will be 959,561 by August 1, Rob was desperate to highlight the cause to the government and communities.

Rob said: "As often is the case when news first breaks on anything major there is normally an immediate reaction and people and government's step as they have in the case however once the reporting eases off the aid tends to ease off even if the crisis has not fully subsided.

"On June 7, Global Deaths reported were 3.7m - actual deaths are likely to be times two, so say 8m or more. The reported deaths were 360,000 - actual deaths potentially times ten.

"The petition very quickly got a few thousand signatures and currently stands at 6,177, although people continue to sign it has now levelled off having been part of an overall effort from many people and organisations urging the government to do their bit for our friends in India I believe it played it's part in the overall lobby.

"I just wanted to highlight how serious the huge scale of the Indian Crisis is by quoting some facts reported by credible sources. It makes me me wonder if this is the biggest disaster for an individual country since the last pandemic over a 100 years ago."

To donate to Rob and Neeta's JustGiving page for the Oxygen For India Emergency Appeal, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rohit-kotechaTo sign the petition, visit: https://www.change.org/oxygenforindiaTo find out more about the British Asian Trust, visit: https://www.britishasiantrust.org/about/