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Oxygen For Industrial Use To Be Diverted For Covid Patients Amid Spike
The supply of oxygen meant for industrial use will now be diverted to meet the rising demand for medical oxygen in the country as it battles a record surge in COVID-19 cases in the deadly second wave of the pandemic, said a letter from the government to the chief secretaries of all the states.
The move is aimed at plugging the oxygen gap in the country, particularly in high-burden states – Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan, the letter from the Home Secretary’s office said.
Nine industries – Ampoules and vials, pharmaceutical, petroleum refineries, steel plants, nuclear energy facilities, oxygen cylinder manufacturers, waste water treatment plants, food and water purification, process industries which require uninterrupted operation of furnaces, processes, however, have been exempted from this prohibition, it said.
Amid spiraling coronavirus cases in the country, the demand for medical oxygen in the country has gone through the roof. There have been reports of shortage of medical oxygen from some states and Union Territories, including Maharashtra and the national capital.
To ensure supply of medical oxygen in bulk and rapidly to patients. the Railways will also run ”Oxygen Express” over the next few days to transport liquid medical oxygen and oxygen cylinders across the country. A Green Corridor is being created for the fast movement of these trains.
The Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra governments had earlier approached the Railways Ministry to explore whether liquid medical oxygen tankers could be moved by the rail network
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