Daily production of 3.10 lakh litres of hand sanitiser begins in Maharashtra

Maharashtra’s sugar mills and distilleries have taken the lead in the production of hand sanitisers to ensure their availability to the government hospitals. A daily production of 3.10 lakh litres of sanitiser began in the state over the last four days, the state’s sugar commissioner Saurabh Rao said.

“In view of Coivd-19, the demand for sanitisers has increased resulting in a shortage. The central government had instructed that distilleries run by cooperative sugar factories should start production. Maharashtra have the necessary permission to 19 sugar factories and the actual production began four days ago,” he said.

The sanitiser produced by the distilleries would be supplied to medical colleges and government hospitals,” he said.

Rao noted that the National Health Mission’s director Anup Kumar Yadav was coordinating the supply chain across the country. Once the demand of the government hospitals is met, permission would be given for private sale, he said.

Factories have been given the freedom to supply in bulk or in bottles of a standard size.

A circular had been issued by the ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution on March 19 instructing tate governments to give permission to sugar industries to undertake production of hand sanitisers.