Use oxygen rationally, ensure no wastage: Centre to states
NEW DELHI : The Centre on Thursday asked states to make rational use of medical oxygen and ensure there is no wastage while stressing that there is sufficient stock of oxygen.
Medical oxygen is a critical component in the treatment of COVID-19 affected patients. An inter-ministerial Empowered Group (EG2) of officers was constituted during the COVID pandemic in March 2020 to ensure the availability of essential medical equipment including medical oxygen to the affected states, the Union health ministry said.
“Along with the ramped up production of the oxygen manufacturing units and the surplus stocks available, the present availability of oxygen is sufficient,” the ministry said.
Besides, states have been asked to set up control rooms to ensure smooth supply of oxygen to the districts according to need and review requirement of cylinders, tankers etc. the ministry said in a statement.
A detailed daily mapping of sources for supply of medical oxygen to the affected states is under preparation to ensure uninterrupted oxygen supply, it said.The exercise will be carried out on the basis of detailed daily deliberations between officers of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, health ministry, steel ministry, various critically affected states, Petroleum and Explosives Safety
Organisation, along with key stakeholders including representatives from oxygen manufacturers, All India Industrial Gas Manufacturers Association according to the directions of the inter-ministerial Empowered Group (EG2), it added.
“It is pertinent to note that there is sufficient production capacity of around 7127 MTs for oxygen in the country, and as per need, the surplus oxygen available with the steel plants is also being utilised,” the ministry said.”The country has a daily production capacity of 7127 MT of oxygen per day. Against this, the total production has been 100% since past two days, as directed by the EG2, since supply to medical oxygen has gone up rapidly,” the ministry added.