Oxygen only for medical use, supply to Gurugram increased

The state government on Sunday banned the supply of oxygen to industrial units, barring a few key exceptions, to ensure adequate stock of medical supply for treatment of Covid-19 patients, even as the authorities increased the allocation of oxygen to Gurugram to 35 metric tonnes (MT)

The state government on Sunday banned the supply of oxygen to industrial units, barring a few key exceptions, to ensure adequate stock of medical supply for treatment of Covid-19 patients, even as the authorities increased the allocation of oxygen to Gurugram to 35 metric tonnes (MT). Officials familiar with the developments said that an additional stock of 10 MT will be available with the district administration for emergencies.

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Invoking the powers conferred under Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, the state government prohibited all oxygen manufacturers and suppliers from providing oxygen to industries. All oxygen units were also directed to dedicate complete supply for medical purposes and also to ensure production of maximum capacity.

Rajiv Arora, additional chief secretary, health, said that a call centre has also been set up to monitor the oxygen supply in all the districts. “Based on the daily feedback From the chief medical officers (CMOs), any area facing shortage will be supplied gas on priority,” he said in a statement on Sunday.

The industries exempted from the oxygen ban are pharmaceutical companies, petroleum refineries, steel plants, nuclear energy plants, oxygen cylinder producers, waste treatment plants, food and water purification establishments, process industries with furnaces, ampule and vial makers.

Gurugram’s deputy commissioner on Sunday also formed an eight-member committee to devise a district-level oxygen distribution and monitoring plan for the city. The committee will assess the average oxygen requirement of the district, individual requirement of hospitals, current availability, and projected requirement for at least the next four days, an order issued by Garg stated.

“Accordingly, movement of oxygen tankers should be planned. The team should have a list of all supplies and vendors including Air Liquide, Panipat (from where oxygen is supplied). The committee shall also be responsible for preparing a daily oxygen distribution plan, distributing oxygen rationally,” the order issued by Garg, a copy of which is with Hindustan Times, stated.

The eight-member committee comprises seven officials of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and one official of the Gurugram police department.

The district administration also observed that private hospitals first assure them that oxygen supply was adequate but later make distress calls on social media, which creates panic. “These issues are also posted on Twitter and it creates panic. Today, a private hospital was supplied oxygen in Palam Vihar after it flagged the matter on social media,” a spokesperson for the district administration said.