Hit by pandemic, Calangute hotelier takes up mask manufacturing

JOSEPH PINTO | NT

Calangute: Coronavirus has shaken up the tourism industry, which provides the highest job opportunities in the beach belt. Many, who were into tourism-related businesses, have switched to other ventures for sustaining their livelihood.

Similarly is the story of Vilanova Lobo, a civil engineer degree holder from Calangute.

Lobo had ventured into hospitality industry and became a successful hotelier owning two resorts in the beach belt of Calangute and a restaurant. However, with COVID outbreak her business came to a standstill.

Vilanova said that “more than my business I was worried about my staff and their families who have been with me for years together and I have treated them as my family.”

“For few months I paid salaries of my staff in spite of the resorts and restaurant being shut. Then I decided to convert my restaurant into a vegetable outlet and employed some of my staff here but this venture ran into a loss. Then it struck me that I should start a mask manufacturing unit, a first of its kind in Goa, to manufacture N95 and 3 ply surgical masks,” Lobo said.

Realising the importance of the mask in pandemic times, “I realised I would be contributing to wellbeing of the society by way of manufacturing masks. Also initially there was scarcity in availability of good masks and also those there were available were expensive.”

“I started the mask manufacturing unit during the second lockdown period and employed 25 staff from my resorts so that their families could get some source of income and the people of Goa quality masks at reasonable rates,” he said.

“I got all the required certificates and licenses to start manufacturing of N95 and 3 ply surgical masks in Goa. Certifications such as ISO 9001:2015 CE, FDA USA, FFP2 ROhS are required to start manufacturing of 3 variants of masks,” he said.

He said that in Goa, N95 masks, that are available, come from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi and Coimbatore.

“In pharmacies, one can get a N95 mask for an MRP 95 but some sell it for Rs 65. I sell N95 mask for 15 rupees and 3 ply mask for rupees 3. I also provide special offer on N95 mask.”

When asked about the machinery investment,

Vilanova said that he invested Rs 60,000 and that the raw material is procured from outside the state.

He said that the 25 employees, who have been shifted from the hotel industry to mask manufacturing unit, are happy that at least in this pandemic times they are getting their salary.

“From mask manufacturing, I have taken another step of manufacturing sanitisers in the name of Purest company,” he said.

During the pandemic, he said he provided free masks to Calangute panchayat members, Rotary Club BNI, social organisations, the garbage collection workers.

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