Centre asks states to make rational use of medical oxygen, guarantee no wastage

The Centre on Thursday requested states to make rational use of medical oxygen and guarantee there isn’t a wastage whereas stressing that there’s ample inventory of oxygen within the nation.
Medical oxygen is a vital part within the therapy of COVID-19 affected sufferers. An inter-ministerial Empowered Group (EG2) of officers was constituted through the COVID pandemic in March 2020 to make sure the provision of important medical gear together with medical oxygen to the affected states, the Union well being ministry mentioned.
“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 mentioned, including that the nation is producing oxygen at its full capability on a regular basis for the final two days.
Besides, states have been requested to arrange management rooms to make sure clean provide of oxygen to the districts based on want, evaluation requirement of cylinders, tankers and so forth. the ministry mentioned in a press release.
An in depth each day mapping of sources for provide of medical oxygen to the affected states is below preparation to make sure uninterrupted oxygen provide, it mentioned.
The train might be carried out on the idea of detailed each day deliberations between officers of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, well being ministry, metal ministry, varied critically affected states, Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation, together with key stakeholders together with representatives from oxygen producers, All India Industrial Gas Manufacturers Association based on the instructions 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 mentioned.
“The country has a daily production capacity of 7127 MT of oxygen per day. Against this, the total production has been 100 per cent since past two days, as directed by the EG2, since supply to medical oxygen has gone up rapidly,” the ministry added.
On April 12, the medical oxygen consumption within the nation was 3842 MTs, that’s 54 per cent of the each day manufacturing capability.
The most consumption of medical oxygen is by Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, adopted by Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Rajasthan, the ministry said.
With growing circumstances, the medical oxygen consumption might want to preserve tempo with the necessities of the states. For this, the present oxygen shares of the nation, together with the commercial oxygen shares with the manufacturing crops, is greater than 50,000 MTs, the ministry mentioned.
The EG2 has initiated a number of measures to make sure provide of medical oxygen to numerous affected states, it mentioned.
Some of the important thing measures embody growing oxygen manufacturing based on manufacturing capability of every oxygen manufacturing plant which has resulted in 100 per cent manufacturing within the oxygen manufacturing items, ramping up availability of oxygen within the nation, it mentioned.
The measures additionally embody utilising surplus shares accessible with metal crops and mapping necessities of prime states with oxygen sources, together with with sources throughout the state borders and people accessible at metal crops, for better readability and assurance for the states on the oxygen sourcing, the ministry mentioned.
Thus, Maharashtra has been in a position to utilise surplus medical oxygen on each day foundation from metal crops like JSW in Dolvi (Maharashtra), SAIL in Bhilai (Chhattisgarh) and from JSW in Bellary (Karnataka). Similarly, Madhya Pradesh is ready to complement its oxygen provide from the Steel plant in Bhilai (Chhattisgarh), the ministry mentioned.
According to the ministry, the problem at current is to maneuver oxygen from states with much less necessity to these with elevated necessity.Mapping of surplus sources with states which have better want for oxygen is being finalised in session with the producers, states and different stakeholders, it mentioned.
This has been undertaken by means of coordinated planning between the Union and state governments to map their necessities as much as April 30 with the accessible sources and shares of oxygen within the nation, the ministry mentioned.
A subgroup has been shaped below the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways with Ministry of Railways and transport departments of states to facilitate the motion of tankers for Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO). Moving of oxygen tankers by rail can be being actively labored out, it mentioned.
Some of the important thing selections taken within the context of seamless motion of oxygen tankers embody orders given by PESO (Petroleum and Safety Organisation) for conversion of argon and nitrogen tankers to be used as oxygen tankers; thereby the fleet accessible for transportation of tankers has been enhanced, and free motion of oxygen tankers inter-state has been facilitated by means of MoRTH with out registration within the different states, it mentioned.
Further, industrial cylinders have been permitted for use for transporting medical oxygen after due purging and putting of orders for the acquisition of one other one lakh oxygen cylinders by the well being ministry can be being undertaken, it mentioned.