Liquid Oxygen for Medical Purpose only, No Industry Exempted: Centre

The centre has made changes to a previous order that exempted nine industries from diverting liquid oxygen for medical purposes. This time, amid the deadly COVID-19 pandemic's second wave, the centre announced that those nine companies are no longer exempt from producing liquid oxygen solely for medical purposes.

"Use of liquid oxygen is not permitted for any non-medical purpose," the Union Home Secretary said in the order. "All manufacturing units will increase their output of liquid oxygen and make it available to the government for use for medical purposes only, with immediate impact and until further orders."

"Besides that, all liquid oxygen stocks should be made accessible to the government for medical purposes. There are no exceptions for any industry when it comes to the use of liquid oxygen "According to the directive.

The recent increase in Covid cases has resulted in what is now being referred to as a scarier second wave of the pandemic. Stories on social media abound with desperate people attempting to locate oxygen or a hospital bed for their friends and relatives.

This time of year, an increasing number of people are complaining of shortness of breath, which necessitates the use of oxygen. However, due to the sudden increase in demand across cities and towns, the availability of oxygen has become severely restricted.

The government's attempt to expand oxygen supply aims to close the country's oxygen gap, especially in greater-risk states such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan.

Hospitals around the country are increasingly reporting a lack of medical oxygen. Many people are putting out an SOS on social media in order to get help faster.

The railways are operating 'Oxygen Express' trains to ensure the delivery of oxygen in bulk and quickly to patients, and a green corridor has been built for the easy movement of these trains.

Ampoules and vials, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refineries, steel plants, nuclear energy facilities, oxygen cylinder producers, wastewater treatment plants, food and water purification, and process industries that require the continuous operation of furnaces are among the nine industries previously exempted from providing medical oxygen.