Ahmedabad: Industry chips in, as Covid-19 battle turns fierce

AHMEDABAD: Even as the government is pulling out all stops to fight the fierce second wave of Covid-19, trade and industry has once again chipped in to aid the efforts of controlling the spread and breaking the chain of transmission.
Last year, when the pandemic began, Gujarat Inc had opened its purse and donated wholeheartedly to contain the Covid-19 spread. It also distributed protective gears such as masks, sanitizers and PPEs. Unlike last year, the businesses and companies this year are helping by producing and supplying medical oxygen, voluntarily staggering working days, shutting down markets and shops and providing logistics support to ferry essential goods.
Stepping up oxygen supply
As the entire country is grappling to maintain an adequate supply of medical oxygen amid an unprecedented increase in demand for oxygen, entities such as Reliance Industries Ltd, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Co-operative Limited (IFFCO) and Krishak Bharti Cooperative Limited (KRIBHCO), Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited (GSFC) and Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizer and Chemicals Ltd (GNFC) and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India Ltd have stepped in to provide medical oxygen to hospitals.
Reliance Industries Ltd has ramped up production of medical grade oxygen at its Jamnagar oil refineries to 700 tonnes a day. The oxygen is being supplied to states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
Leading fertilizer maker IFFCO is installing a plant to manufacture oxygen at its unit located in Kalol, Gandhinagar. The plant is expected to start operation soon, and it will have the capacity to produce 200 cubic metres of oxygen per hour. Another fertilizer major from the cooperative sector, KRIBHCO, is also at an advanced stage of setting up an oxygen plant at its Hazira units. The oxygen from these plants will be supplied free of cost to hospitals.
State-run GSFC has also begun producing medical oxygen at its facility in Vadodara and started supplying oxygen to hospitals in Vadodara. Another state PSU, GNFC has also started production and supply of medical grade oxygen to cater to the rising demand for oxygen from hospitals.
Joining forces to set up Covid care facilities
The 950-bed Dhanvantari Covid Hospital, developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), central and state government agencies at Gujarat University Convention-cum-Exhibition Centre on GMDC ground in Ahmedabad — is funded by the state-run GSPC Group companies from their corporate social responsibility (CSR) outlay. Out of the Rs 20 crore earmarked, about Rs 10 crore has already been released for the hospital, said sources.
As part of its efforts to aid in containing the current surge of coronavirus infections, CREDAI Ahmedabad-GIHED, a body of city-based real estate developers, has planned to set up a Covid care centre at its corporate house located off Sindhu Bhavan Road in Shilaj area. The establishment of this proposed 25-bed centre is, however, subject to the availability of oxygen supply and Covid care medical staff said members of the association.
The Union home minister, Amit Shah, on Friday also announced that a 1,200-bed Covid hospital would be set up at Gandhinagar helipad by DRDO and Tata Trust shortly.
Kutch industrialists to facilitate 100 oxygen concentrators
While the unavailability of oxygen cylinders is a concern, members of the Federation of Kutch Industries’ Association (FOKIA) have placed orders for some 100 oxygen concentrators.
“We have made a payment of Rs 40 lakh and are expecting delivery on April 27. We plan to collaborate with local NGOs here who have been working with us from time to time and will send the oxygen concentrators to them on a rotational basis,” said Nimish Phadke, MD, FOKIA.
The industry association plans to supply oxygen to Covid-affected people in the industrial belts of Kutch, Bhuj, Nakhatrana, Bhachau and Gandhidham too. It also supplied ventilators to hospitals as well.
GCCI to aid logistics for oxygen cylinders in Ahmedabad
Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has set up a special task force to provide logistics support for oxygen cylinders in Ahmedabad. Similar initiatives are being undertaken by other regional chambers of commerce and industry in other parts of the state, too.
“We have procured cylinders which we will get filled from various oxygen suppliers and sent to private hospitals in Ahmedabad and surrounding areas, which do not have their own tanks,” said Natubhai Patel, president, GCCI.
“To start with, we have provided some 200 cylinders to the Ahmedabad collector and we are looking at filling at least 200 cylinders in a single day. We will also collect the cylinders back from the private hospitals and get them refilled and supplied again,” Patel added.
Jewellers, traders, tour operators appeal for shutdowns
In Ahmedabad, several trade associations and those of tour operators and jewellers have appealed for shutdowns of different durations. For instance, Travel Agents’ Federation of India (TAFI) – Gujarat chapter, appealed to its members to shut offices till April 30, in a bid to help break the chain.
“At least 80 members of TAFI in Ahmedabad and some 120 more in other parts of Gujarat have decided to keep offices shut. The business did take a hit, but the safety of employees comes first, and this time, we are better equipped to let our colleagues work from home,” said Manish Sharma, chairman, TAFI – Gujarat.
Meanwhile, Jewellers’ Association of Ahmedabad (JAA) in addition to other Manek Chowk Jewellers’ Association and Ratanpole Gold Silver Jewellery Merchants’ Association recently appealed to their members to keep markets shut till April 30. “After observing a self-lockdown over the weekend, we decided to keep markets shut in the interest of the safety of employees and customers,” said Jigar Soni, president, JAA.