Liquid medical oxygen project not feasible, NMMC focus now on dura cylinders
NMMC’S TARGET IS TO HAVE 200 DURA CYLINDERS WITH A CAPACITY OF 175 CUBIC METRES AND STORAGE TANKS WITH CAPACITY OF 90 KILOLITRE (KL)
NAVI MUMBAI: With the proposed liquid medical oxygen (LMO) project not turning out to be feasible, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has decided to focus on oxygen storage. The civic body will now invest more in dura cylinders and storage tanks for the preparation for the third Covid wave. While five pressure swing adsorption (PSA) plants are in the making, one is inaugurated. All other arrangements for the third wave are expected to be ready by August 15.
After experiencing immense pressure on oxygen demand during the second wave, NMMC while planning for the third wave had decided to install five PSA plants and one LMO plant. The plan was to have an LMO of 50 metric tonnes on a public-private partnership (PPP), wherein NMMC would provide land to a private firm to set up the plant.
A consultant was hired to check feasibility of the project. However, it was found that to have a feasible LMO plant, there needs to be a steel plant nearby, which would buy the remaining gas that emerged from the plant.
“Private firms who were ready to invest needed a guarantee that the oxygen produced would be purchased by hospitals. But what after the pandemic? We also tried to collaborate with other corporations and install LMO plant jointly, but even that did not work out. Hence, we decided to focus more on storage of LMO instead of manufacturing it,” NMMC commissioner Abhijit Bangar said.
The target is to have 200 dura cylinders with a capacity of 175 cubic metres and storage tanks with capacity of 90 kilolitre (KL).
“We have procured one storage tank of 20KL and the rest too will be done soon. Tenders for the 200 dura cylinders have also been published. We plan to have six PSA with one each at Cidco Exhibition Centre, Vashi and Airoli hospitals of NMMC, Export House, Radhaswami Hall and for the sixth, the location is yet to be finalised,” deputy municipal commissioner Babasaheb Rajale said.