Punjab shuts down industries to divert oxygen for patients

CHANDIGARH: The Government of Punjab on Saturday, April 24, ordered for the closure of operations in the iron and steel industries of the state to divert the oxygen for medical usage. The decision has come following the growing demands from various hospitals for oxygen amid spiralling COVID-19 cases.

Oxygen, along with the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), is used in the induction, arc furnaces and rolling mills which are used to cut and shape the iron and steel items to make them available for various industry verticals. Iron and steel units are concentrated majorly in Ludhiana and Mandi Gobindgarh. The announcement of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh came after six patients died at a private hospital in Amritsar due to shortage of oxygen.

Over the past few days, Punjab has seen a sharp increase in the demands for oxygen, which currently stands at 250 metric tonnes (MT) per day and is further expected to go up to 300 MT in the coming days due to continuous surge in COVID-19 cases. The statement from officials said that Captain Singh has also ordered Punjab Health Systems Corporation to procure 100 more oxygen concentrators, including the 50 approved earlier and 234 which are already in use in COVID-19 facilities.