PM Modi reviews usage of gaseous oxygen

In an effort to ramp up supply and availability of medical oxygen, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired a meeting to review the usage of gaseous oxygen. The Centre is using a strategy to identify industrial units which produce gaseous oxygen of requisite purity. It is short-listing those which are closer to cities and dense areas and demand centres.

On Sunday, the process of converting existing Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) nitrogen plants for the production of oxygen was also discussed during the review. According to an official statement, PM Modi also reviewed the progress of the setup of the PSA plants.

The prime minister was also informed that around 1500 PSA plants are in the process of being set up through contribution of PM CARES, PSUs and others. He directed officials to ensure speedy completion of these plants.

The government is also looking at establishing temporary COVID care centres with oxygenated beds near the source. As such, it’s expected that around 10,000 oxygenated beds can be made available in a short period of time by making temporary hospitals near such plants.

A pilot for five such facilities had already been initiated and there is good progress on it. This is being accomplished through PSUs or private industries operating the plant and coordination of centre and state governments. Moreover, state governments are being encouraged to set up more such facilities with oxygenated beds to deal with the pandemic.

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On April 25, an order issued by home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, who is also the chairman of the national executive committee, under the Disaster Management Act 2005, said no exception is allowed to any industry with regard to use of liquid oxygen. This was part of the effort to ease the oxygen supply situation at hospitals treating COVID-19 patients.

Meanwhile, foreign countries have also stepped up to help India in her time of need to battle the surging second wave of COVID-19 infections. The assistance package, funded by the foreign, commonwealth and development office, includes ventilators and oxygen concentrators from surplus stocks.