Govt bans oxygen supply to industries
The Centre on Sunday decided to prohibit the supply of oxygen for industrial purposes by manufacturers and suppliers from April 22 barring nine select sectors, with massive shortage of medical oxygen across the country leading to more Covid-related casualties, according to a statement issued by the ministry of home affairs.
The nine industrial sectors which will continue to get oxygen supply include pharmaceuticals, petroleum refineries, steel plants, ampoules and vials, nuclear energy establishments, oxygen cylinder manufacturers, waste water treatment plants, food and water purification and process industries which require uninterrupted running of furnaces. All other industrial units have been told to consider alternative measures such as import of oxygen or setting up Air Separator Units (ASUs) for generation of oxygen for their captive requirements.
Home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla wrote to all states and Union territories informing them about diverting oxygen meant for industrial use for medical reasons after a review was done on Sunday by the Empowered Group-II mandated to coordinate medical logistics. Bhalla said states that have seen a rapid rise in Covid-19 cases and need medical oxygen include Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan.
“The country has been facing an unprecedented surge in the new daily cases of Covid in various States and UTs... The requirement for Medical Oxygen is a critical component in the treatment of Covid affected patients. In view of the recent surge... the requirement of oxygen for effective clinical treatment... has also witnessed a manifold hike,” according to the MHA statement. “Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has conveyed that this has already reached about 60 percent of the total daily Oxygen production, and is expected to rise further. There have been reports of shortage of medical oxygen from some States and UTs,” it added.
After the Sunday order was issued, Union minister Piyush Goyal said that the measure has been taken to ensure adequate supply of oxygen to hospitals.
“Before Covid pandemic hit India, our daily medical oxygen consumption was around 1,000-1,200 metric tonnes. But on April 15, 4,795 metric tonnes of medical oxygen was used in the country. We’ve increased production capacity in the last one year,” Goyal said, according to news agency ANI.
The minister also gave a break-up of the shares that will be allotted to states which face a shortage. “After an elaborate meeting with 12 states, the central government did mapping ... 6,177 metric tonnes of oxygen has been finalised to be distributed to states...” the Union minister said.
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