Delhi to install 8 oxygen plants under PM CARES Fund amid COVID surge

As the country is in excessive requirement of Oxygen, eight Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen generation plants will be installed in the national capital with the support of the PM CARES Fund. The government's decision comes in order to augment the medical oxygen capacity of Delhi amid the shortage of Oxygen supply amid the ongoing second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. These plants will enhance the capacity of medical oxygen by 14.4 metric tonnes.

On March 17, one out of the eight PSA plants was already installed in Delhi at Burari Hospital, Kaushik Enclave. Four plants are expected to be completed by April 30, one each at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Lok Nayak Hospital, Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Rohini and Deepa Chand Bandhu Hospital, Ashok Vihar.

As per the sources, despite weekly reviews since November last year, the Delhi government has delayed the site readiness. The site has been readied for Ambedkar Nagar Hospital, Dakshinpuri, as late as April 19 by the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government.

Govt Allocates Funds To Set Up 551 Oxygen Plants

In a massive decision to curb the oxygen crisis in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday allocated funds to install 551 PSA Oxygen Generation Plants in public health facilities across the country through PM-CARES. In line with PM Modi’s direction to boost the availability of medical oxygen to hospitals in need, the Prime Minister's Office has approved funds for the installation of 551 dedicated Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Medical Oxygen Generation Plants in public health facilities in the country.

Oxygen crisis in Delhi

Delhi is facing a grim situation with thousands of Coronavirus patients gasping for breath outside hospitals due to lack of life-saving oxygen. Several hospitals treating COVID-19 patients said they have just a few hours of oxygen left. On Saturday, Delhi’s Sri Ganga Ram hospital reported that 25 patients died in a few hours due to oxygen shortage.

Facing a severe shortage of medical oxygen, CM Arvind Kejriwal sought help from all chief ministers to plug the widening demand-supply gap. Kejriwal had also requested PM Modi to supply more Oxygen to Delhi alleging that the Centre was not sending enough to meet its needs. The AAP government has claimed that in spite of being allotted 480 MT, it has received only 330-380 MT Oxygen from the Centre. It has also complained that it is unable to arrange for tankers for transporting Oxygen.

(With ANI Inputs)

(Image Credits: PTI/REPRESENTATIVEIMAGE)