New Delhi: Public and private sector steel companies from across the country have stepped up their efforts to meet the medical oxygen needs in the country. Yesterday, these steel plants produced 3680.30 MT liquid medical oxygen (LMO) and supplied 4076.65 MT LMO. In comparison, on April 25, 2021, 3131.84 MT LMOs were supplied to various states. At the same time, in the middle of April, on an average 1500-1700 MT LMO was being sent every day.
Last week, the Minister of Steel and Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan had a series of meetings with the heads of public and private sector steel companies. He called for every effort to increase the supply of medical oxygen from steel plants. In addition to this, the Minister also asked for the construction of large size Kovid-care facilities with oxygen-rich beds to augment healthcare-related infrastructure.
The Steel Authority of India Limited, one of the largest domestic steel producers, is enhancing its capabilities to supply liquid medical oxygen in the country. Daily delivery of LMO from its integrated steel plants at Bhilai (Chhattisgarh), Rourkela (Odisha), Bokaro (Jharkhand), Durgapur and Burnpur (West Bengal) increased from the current level of around 500 MT in the second week of April to presently 1100 MT. More than. The company has so far supplied more than 50,000 metric tonnes of LMOs. In April, 2021, SAIL has distributed 17,500 MT of LMOs to 15 states. These states are also the states where its plants are located.
Till yesterday, 14 Oxygen Express trains carrying more than 950 MT of LMOs have been loaded from various SAIL plants at Bokaro, Rourkela and Durgapur for different parts of the country. The SAIL plants have also received tankers, which were airlifted and sent to their destinations by road and rail after loading. The railways, air force, steel plants and oxygen plants are coordinating the efforts being made to transport tankers. Today 4 cryogenic tankers were airlifted by the Indian Air Force from Perth, Australia.