Maruti Suzuki Close Plants to Provide Oxygen for Medical Purposes

According to a stock exchange filing, Maruti Suzuki, the country's largest carmaker, will shut down its manufacturing units in Haryana to make oxygen gas accessible for medical needs. Suzuki Motor also has planned to close its Gujarat plant, as per Maruti Suzuki.

Maruti Suzuki said it has moved its annual maintenance shutdown from June to May 1, and it is committed to helping the government divert oxygen to save lives.

"Maruti Suzuki uses a small amount of oxygen in its factories as part of the car manufacturing process, while component manufacturers use much larger amounts. We believe that all available oxygen should be used to save lives in the current situation" in a press release, Maruti Suzuki said.

Maruti Suzuki said it has been told that Suzuki Motor Gujarat has made the same decision for its plant.

With 3,293 people dying in the last 24 hours, India's latest Covid death toll has reached an all-time high. The number of new cases increased by more than 3.6 lakh, a global record, bringing the total number of cases to more than 1.79 crores. India is running out of oxygen and drugs as a result of the crisis.

Over three lakh cases have been recorded in India for the seventh day in a row, making it the second worst-affected country after the United States. The new deaths bring the total number of people killed by the pandemic in the world to 2,01,187.

Maruti Suzuki shares rose 0.44% to 6,587 after the company announced its decision to close plants, trailing the Sensex by 1.6%.