KENDRAPARA: A statue of Covid warrior Prafulla Rout was unveiled in the riverside Chandiagadi village under Aul block on Tuesday on the occasion of his first death anniversary as a mark of respect for his selfless service during the pandemic.
The statue was inaugurated by Aul MLA Pratap Deb. Rout served as the panchayat executive officer for Andira and Penthapala in Pattamundai block and was in charge of managing the migrant workers returning from other states to Odisha during peak Covid situation in 2020.
He was also looking after relief and rehabilitation works in flood-hit areas of the two gram panchayats last year. Besides, Rout was involved in spreading awareness on Covid safety norms and even carried out distribution of face masks among villagers.
However, the frontline worker was infected with Covid and succumbed to the virus on October 12 last year at the age of 59.
Deb said, “Rout sacrificed his life while providing help to Covid-affected persons. His noble work will encourage others to help the needy during crises.”
The deceased Covid warrior’s son Subhashis Rout said, “It is a proud moment for our family. I feel happy that my father’s service and efforts have been recognised. He did a great job by helping many people to bravely face the challenges of the pandemic.”
On the occasion, 2-minute silence was observed to pay homage to Rout. The unveiling of Rout’s statue was organised by Prafulla Rout Memorial Trust of Chandiagadi.
Among others, former Aul MLA Debendra Sharma, Rout’s family members and villagers were present.
Rout is survived by a son, two daughters and wife. Last year, the State government provided `50 lakh compensation to his wife.