NEW DELHI: Amid a severe shortage of oxygen across the country in the wake of increasing COVID-19 cases, steelmaker Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL) has announced that more than 500 tonnes of liquid oxygen is available at its Angul plant.
“We have more than 500 tons of liquid oxygen readily available at our Angul plant. Apart from this, we can provide 100 tonnes/day to any government that needs it. We will continue to support the nation in all possible ways in this war against the pandemic. Jai Hind,” JSPL chairman Naveen Jindal said in a tweet on Thursday.
“20 MT Liquid Medical Oxygen tanker ready to be dispatched to Telangana from JSPL Angul. Tomorrow, we will also be sending tankers of liquid oxygen to Batra Hospital, Medanta and Artemis Hospital in Delhi/NCR along with Telangana and Madhya Pradesh,” he added.
Jindal further said he had a discussion with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and assured him that the state will be supplied oxygen from the JSPL Raigarh plant.
BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi appreciated Jindal for his gesture and tweeted: “Naveen Jindal ji, your gesture is worth a praise. Our Delhi is in dire need of regular supply of Oxygen. It is sad to note Arvind Kejriwal is busy in publicly and non governance. As a people’s representative of Delhi, I will be grateful if u could divert 100T/day 2 Delhi (sic).”
Indian Railways is also running ‘Oxygen Express‘ trains to transport liquid medical oxygen and oxygen cylinders across the country.
The worsening COVID-19 situation has seen a surge in the demand for medical oxygen and beds for the COVID-19 patients and many states are reporting a shortage in essential medical supplies. Availability of oxygen is a key element in the treatment of certain medical conditions in the Covid infection. (ANI)