Delhi govt invites applications for purchase of cryogenic tankers, setting up O2 generation plants

The Delhi government has invited applications for setting up oxygen generation plants at health care facilities and purchase of cryogenic tankers to prepare for a possible third wave of the coronavirus.

The last date to submit applications is September 16.

The applications have been invited under the ''Medical Oxygen Production Promotion Policy'' for providing incentives to the private sector to set up production plants and storage facilities to help improve availability of the life-saving gas in the national capital.

This policy aims to make Delhi self-reliant in the production of medical oxygen to meet any crisis or medical emergency in the future.

The government aims to set up liquid oxygen generation plants with a minimum capacity of 50 metric tonnes per unit. The total targeted capacity is 100 MT.

It also targets installation of non-captive oxygen generation plants (PSA/Air Separation Unit technology) of minimum 10 MT and maximum 50 MT capacity, till total 100 MT capacity is created.

Power subsidy will be given to liquid medical oxygen (LMO) generation plants and non-captive oxygen generation plants at Rs 4 per unit consumed in the manufacturing process for the first five years from the date of commencement of commercial production, according to the policy document.

Full reimbursement of gross State Goods and Services Tax (SGST) will be made to liquid oxygen generation plants and non-captive oxygen generation plants within a month of their commissioning.

The policy also aims to encourage the private sector to set up PSA/ASU plants of minimum 500 LPM (litres per minute) capacity at hospitals and nursing homes to cater to their peak demand for medical oxygen and LMO storage tanks of minimum 10 MT capacity.

Delhi battled an acute shortage of oxygen in April and May as hospitals in the capital sent out SOS calls to authorities to replenish their dwindling stocks. Several private healthcare facilities even requested the government to move out their patients.

On April 23, around 21 critically-ill COVID-19 patients had died at Jaipur Golden Hospital in northwest Delhi due to oxygen shortage. Batra Hospital in Tughlakabad Institutional Area lost eight lives due to oxygen shortage on May 1.

To prevent a repeat of the oxygen crisis, the city government is in the process of installing oxygen generation plants and increasing hospital beds to accommodate 37,000 cases a day in case of a third wave. Around 7,000 ICU beds are also being added at various health care facilities.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)