Govt opens oxygen tap for some industries

NEW DELHI: With the demand for medical oxygen reducing as the second wave of the pandemic ebbs, the home ministry on Monday temporarily permitted the use of liquid oxygen for certain industries, conceding a request from the industry department.

Industrial use of liquid oxygen was banned in April after a spike in the number of Covid patients requiring liquid oxygen support.

Quoting a letter sent by the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT), the home ministry said DPIIT may allow usage of liquid oxygen on a temporary basis for continuous process industries/plants such as furnaces, refineries, steel, aluminium and copper processing plants, which require continuous power supply; infrastructure projects and plants; micro, small and medium enterprises; exporters of manufacturing sector requiring oxygen for production; and food processing units.

However, DPIIT has to ensure adequate supply of liquid medical oxygen to hospitals and other medical purposes as per demands of states and Union territories as well as adequate supply to industries/sectors such as ampoules and vials, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing of oxygen cylinders and pressure swing absorption (PSA) plants, neutral glass tubing and defence forces.