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O2 manufacture industry in Pune in overdrive to fill demand-supply gap
Pune: Like the healthcare and frontline workers, employees working at oxygen manufacturing plants are working round the clock to meet the increasing demand of oxygen supply for Covid patients
Pune: Like the healthcare and frontline workers, employees working at oxygen manufacturing plants are working round the clock to meet the increasing demand of oxygen supply for Covid patients.
The management of such firms have termed the handling of oxygen supply as a “war-like situation”.
Sadashiv Survase, additional director, commissionerate of industries that monitors oxygen producing industries in Pune district, said, “It’s really a war- like situation and all plants are working in full capacity. They are facing issues related to extra load and production, but steps are taken to overcome it. This industry requires highly skilled manpower and the biggest challenge they face is to avoid and protect the staff from being infected by the coronavirus.”
Surwase said, “We, as part of the government, ensure that the industry does not face any power failure and provide police protection to the plants besides addressing other needs.”
A top official of an oxygen producing industry said, “As per the company policy, we cannot speak to the media. We are working hard on the work floor. At this stage, our priority is that the plant runs at full capacity and employees working at the ground should not get Covid-19 positive.”
Another officer, on condition of anonymity, said, “There is a panic situation. We are getting calls from VIPs with request to divert oxygen to specific hospitals because of shortage. It’s becoming a challenge to monitor the supply chain.”
Another officer on anonymity said that people are directly approaching plants with requests to refill cylinders.
A district administration officer said, “Our priority is that all the four major plants in the district that produces oxygen should run full capacity and does not affect the oxygen supply and create a crisis.”
Major medical oxygen producers
Inox Air products (Chakan)
Air Liquide India Holding Pvt Ltd (Chakan)
Taiya Nippon Sanso India (Chakan)
Linde India Ltd (Chakan)
Oxygen cylinder refill units in the district
Raigad Gas India (Chakan)
Sudesh Gas India (Chakan)
GVS Air Service (Baramati)
United Gas Company (Shindewadi-Bhor)
Kay Chandra Iron Engineering Works Pvt Ltd (Jejuri)
