Page 23 - Covid 2021 June 2021

of Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, they are setting up about 100 Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Medical Oxygen Generation Plants in public health facilities across the country. The hospitals in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi will be covered under the initiative. The entire expenditure for these plants will be borne by the companies from their CSR fund.
These PSA plants will come in varying capacities to generate oxygen, catering to hospitals with 200 to 500 beds. They employ technology provided by DRDO and CSIR, absorbing nitrogen from ambient air to concentrate oxygen. The oxygen thus generated will be supplied straight to patients admitted in the hospital. Orders have been placed with the Indian vendors for these plants, and these will start becoming operational from this month itself, and by July, all such plants will come up.
Website link:
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1716530
Steel plants supply 4076 MT Liquid Medical Oxygen
Steel companies from across the country, from both the public and private sectors, have stepped up efforts to meet the nation’s requirement of medical oxygen. On 4 May, the Total Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) production by the steel plants was 3680.30 MT, and Total LMO Supply was 4076.65 MT. In comparison, the LMO supply was 3131.84 MT to various states on the 25 April 2021. In mid-April, on an average 1500-1700 MT/day of LMO was being dispatched.
Steel Authority of India, one of the largest domestic steel producers, has been enhancing its capabilities to supply LMO in the country. The daily delivery of LMO from its integrated steel plants situated at Bhilai (Chhattisgarh), Rourkela (Odisha), Bokaro (Jharkhand), and Durgapur and Burnpur (West Bengal) has been increased from a level of about 500 MT in the 2nd week of April to more than 1100 MT per day currently. The company has so far supplied over 50,000 MT of LMO. In April, 2021, SAIL delivered more than 17500 MT LMO to 15 states across the country including the states in which the plants are located.
Fourteen “Oxygen Express” trains carrying more than 950 MT LMO have been loaded by 4 May for various parts of the county from SAIL plants at Bokaro, Rourkela and Durgapur. SAIL plants have also received tankers, which have been airlifted and after loading have moved to their destinations by road and rail. The Railways, Air Force, steel plants and oxygen plants are coordinating the efforts of transporting the tankers.
Website link:
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1716301
Efforts initiated for production of medical oxygen from modified
industrial nitrogen plants
Considering the COVID-19 pandemic situation and to further augment availability of oxygen for medical purposes in the country, the Central Government had asked Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which has comprehensive database of industrial units, to identify the industries having spare nitrogen plants and explore the feasibility of converting existing nitrogen plants to produce oxygen. CPCB with the help of State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) have identified such potential industries, wherein existing nitrogen generation plants may be spared for production of oxygen. Consultation have been held with potential industrial units and experts.
VIGYAN PRASAR 20