Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired a meeting to review the usage of gaseous oxygen to ramp up supply and availability of oxygen in the country. Many industries like Steel plants, refineries with petrochemical units, industries using rich combustion process, power plants have oxygen plants which produce gaseous oxygen. This oxygen can be tapped for medical use.
The strategy being used is to identify industrial units which produce gaseous oxygen of requisite purity, shortlist those which are closer to cities and establish temporary Covid care centres with oxygenated beds near that source. A pilot for five such facilities had already been initiated and there is good progress on this. This is being accomplished through PSUs or private industries operating the plant and co-ordination of centre and state governments.
It is expected that around ten thousand oxygenated beds can be made available in a short period of time by making temporary hospitals near such plants. State governments are being encouraged to set up more such facilities with oxygenated beds to deal with the pandemic.
Prime Minister also reviewed progress on setting up of Pressure Swing Absorption, PSA plants. He was informed that around one thousand 500 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.
Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, Secretary Road Transport and Highways and other senior officials participated in the meeting.