Union government to setup temporary COVID hospitals near Industrial proj

New Delhi: Union government will build temporary hospitals near the industrial units producing Oxygen to make over 10,000 Oxygen beds available in the shortest time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the Corona situation in the country in a high-level meeting. This plan was discussed during the meeting. The states will be encouraged to create these Oxygen bed facilities to counter the Coronavirus pandemic. A few days ago, the Union Petroleum Minister granted permission to build a jumbo COVID centre near the BPCL plant in Mumbai. BPCL will be maintaining a continuous supply of Oxygen to this centre.

There is an addition of nearly 400,000 new cases of Coronavirus, in the country, per day. With this increasing number of cases, the Oxygen crisis has deepened. The demand for medical Oxygen in the country has increased by 60%. Given this, the big companies have come forward to help. These companies are supplying hundreds of tonnes of Oxygen to various states. Oxygen is consumed on a large scale in the oil refineries and fertiliser companies. Therefore, these companies generally have an independent Oxygen plant. These companies are supplying Oxygen to the government from their plants. Thus, the gap in the supply and demand of Oxygen is being bridged.

If temporary COVID centres are set up near these industrial establishments, the availability of Oxygen beds will improve substantially. This will also save time to supply the Oxygen. After the Prime Minister’s Review meeting, an official informed that the union government has set the target of making over 10,000 Oxygen beds available near these industries.

The government will be making efforts to locate the Oxygen plants. The temporary Oxygen bed facilities will be created at those units, close to cities, high-density population areas and demand centres. Five such facilities have already been started on an experimental basis. These projects are being implemented in collaboration with the public sector, private sector and the Union and state governments.

Prime Minister Modi also reviewed the conversion of Nitrogen plants into Oxygen plants. The Prime Minister also took updates on the starting of Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) projects for Oxygen production. 1,500 PSA projects are currently operating with contributions from PM Care, PSU and other related departments. Prime Minister Modi was updated about the progress.

14 industries have been identified to start the temporary hospitals with Oxygen beds. Moreover, 37 sectors have been identified for converting the Nitrogen plants into Oxygen plants. Meanwhile, medical and nursing students will be encouraged to provide services in the COVID centres. The government is also thinking of placing the final Year MBBS students in the COVID centres. A decision has been taken that those medical and nursing students who will serve in the COVID centres will get a preference in government jobs.