In order to bridge the gap between the rising demand andsupply of the medical oxygen in the state, the Punjab Government would demandadditional oxygen tankers from the Centre to speed up the supply chain of thelife-saving gas in the state from far and near.
Besides, Punjab has also expedited the process ofprocuring on its own more oxygen tankers from different parts of the countryand abroad.
This was disclosed by the Chief Secretary, Ms ViniMahajan, after chairing a high-level meeting to review the availability, needand distribution of the medical oxygen in the state besides taking stock of theongoing initiatives to check the further spread of devastating second Covidwave in the state, here on Saturday.
Briefing the present status of the supply chain of oxygento Punjab from different parts of the country, Principal Secretary Transport KSiva Prasad said the efforts have also been intensified to bring oxygen tankersfrom Belgium and Australia. “Hopefully, the supply of oxygen tankers fromAustralia and Belgium will reach Punjab soon,” he added.
Rahul Tiwari, who is supervising the Oxygen Control Room,said Punjab's first oxygen express train left for Bokaro in Jharkhand onSaturday morning to pick up its 80 metric tonne (MT) quota of oxygen, whichwould further strengthen the stock of life-saving medical supplies in thestate. He said the services of Markfed were being availed to further speed upthe process of oxygen procurement and ensure that there was no shortage of thelife-saving gas in the state.
Principal Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation,Jaspreet Talwar, while sharing the district-wise information of Pressure SwingAdsorption (PSA) oxygen plants, said a total of 44 PSA plants would be set upin Punjab at a cost of Rs 4.71 crore for which several NGOs and big companieshave come forward to help the Punjab Government in this endeavour.
Regarding the status of oxygen concentrators in thestate, the Chief Secretary was informed that Punjab has around 1,060concentrators at present, which were being distributed in the districts as perthe requirement, while more concentrators would be available soon and would besent to the districts as per the need.
The Chief Secretary directed the Punjab State PowerCorporation Limited (PSPCL) to ensure uninterrupted power supply to all thehospitals in which Covid patients were being treated. She ordered PSPCL to alsoensure uninterrupted power supply to the new hospitals, which have been set upor were being set up by the NGOs. Directions were also issued to the PublicWorks Department (PWD) to provide more basic facilities to the three governmentcolleges-cum-hospitals in the state and the Mohali hospital, which has beenturned into an exclusive Covid care facility.
While hoping that the Covid situation would improve soonand the state would emerge victorious in its sustained fight against the deadlyvirus, the Chief Secretary urged all the officers to serve diligently till thesituation returns to normal.