Delhi govt setting up 48 O2 plants across city, says CM
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said the city government will set up 48 oxygen plants, including 21 that are being imported from France, across the national capital to address the shortage of the life-saving gas.
Kejriwal inspected the installation of a new oxygen plant at the Satyawadi Raja Harishchandra Hospital.
He said the plant can generate 330 litres oxygen, which can fill 50-60 cylinders, and if used directly, 33 patients can be treated 24x7, adding that it will help the 200-bed hospital.
"Inspected the installation of the new oxygen plant at Satyawadi Raja Harishchandra Hospital. I want to thank the French govt for their support. We are setting up 48 such plants across Delhi to address the shortage of oxygen," the chief minister said in a tweet.
Pointing out that Delhi has witnessed an acute shortage of oxygen in the last few days, he said on one hand, the city is taking the life-saving gas from the Centre and on the other hand, it is trying to produce as much oxygen as it can.
A total of 48 oxygen plants will be installed across Delhi, of which 21 are being imported from France and the rest are manufactured in India.
"Though these are small plants, I feel they will provide a lot of support to the entire system that is under pressure due to a shortage of oxygen," Kejriwal said.
The chief minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday after the national capital received 730 metric tonnes of oxygen on May 5.
In a letter to Modi, he said this was the first time that the national capital received more than 700 metric tonnes of the life-saving gas and that its demand would only increase until the second wave of the virus is controlled.
"It shouldn't be the case that one day we receive 700MT and the next day we again get only 300-400MT, because this will create a turmoil in the hospitals again," he added.
The CM also urged hospitals to increase their bed capacity to their maximum limit as oxygen was being provided in sufficient amounts now.
"Hospitals have said that if they're given an adequate and sufficient amount of oxygen, they will increase the number of beds. I hope that the 700MT oxygen will be supplied daily, which will allow hospitals to resume existing beds and expand their bed limit so that admission can be given to as many patients as possible and lives can be saved," the CM added.
Kejriwal said, "Presently, given the scarcity of oxygen, we can only create 5,000 beds in Radha Soami Satsang, 2,500 beds in two places in Burari, 1,000 beds in Commonwealth Games Village, and 1,000 beds in Yamuna Sports Complex. Around 9,000-9,500 beds can be prepared if we get adequate oxygen."
