Yogi govt limits oxygen supply to industry, diverts it for medical use to battle Covid-19

New Delhi: To ensure adequate medical grade oxygen supply in the state, amid a massive surge in demand for critical COVID-19 patients, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued instructions to the MSME units to supply oxygen to all the public and private hospitals for medical use only.

Amid spiraling coronavirus cases in the state, the demand for medical oxygen has gone through the roof. To cater to the increasing need, as many as 81 MSME units across Uttar Pradesh have been identified and directed to divert industrial oxygen supplies to the hospitals for medical use only till further orders.

“Covid-19 is at its peak and we need oxygen for saving lives. Oxygen is a raw material used by the MSMEs for their internal purposes, at this crucial time, the state government is committed to prioritise saving lives over any other act,” stated ACS, MSME, Navneet Sehgal.

CM Yogi, who is in self-isolation, undertook a comprehensive review to ensure adequate medical grade oxygen supply in the state, with the senior officials on Monday.

“Uninterrupted supply of oxygen should be ensured in all the hospitals for and oxygen cylinders should be regularly replaced in all districts”, instructed the CM.

CM Yogi instructs MSMEs to dedicate oxygen supply to save lives

CM Yogi, while taking a detailed review of the current availability of oxygen in the state, issued directives to all the General Managers, District Industries Centers to access the production of oxygen in the 81 MSMEs including the ones at Lucknow, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Agra and Mathura and also instructed to maintain its adequate supply on a daily basis to ensure synergy across hospitals and the units.

“Continuous supply of oxygen to COVID hospitals in all districts must be ensured. The control room set up by the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department in connection with this, should also remain active 24 hours and must assure that oxygen is only used for medical purposes ,” the CM further added.

As UP reports massive spikes day after day during the second wave, hospitals and health systems are increasingly coming under pressure and despite all measures are reporting shortage in oxygen supply, the MSMEs which not only played a significant role in giving a boost to the state’s economy post the first wave of coronavirus, but also, acted as a backbone to ward off economic shocks and adversities, will now come forth to help with the increasing need of oxygen in the hospitals across the state.