‘Return all empty, filled oxygen cylinders soon’

Ludhiana: Alarmed over shortage of empty cylinders with suppliers, distributors and manufacturers of oxygen, the industries department has started making desperate appeals to industrialists and others who have them. The deputy commissioner has also ordered that all the empty and filled oxygen cylinders lying with factories be returned to bottling plants at the earliest.
DC Varinder Kumar Sharma in a video message said, “There is a dire need for empty cylinders. As the district magistrate I order the industry and non-Covid hospitals to immediately return all empty and filled cylinders to the bottling plants from where these were sourced. I have also formed a team of officials to conduct checks in factories, non-Covid hospitals and other establishments. In case cylinders are found, strict action will be taken.”
In a message to business associations and industrial houses, the general manager of the district industries centre said, “Stakeholders and enterprises that have empty oxygen gas cylinders are requested to provide the availability data. The cylinders may be procured by dealers who supply oxygen to hospitals. The empty oxygen cylinder will be used to save precious lives.” He requested entrepreneurs to come forward and furnish the data by clicking on a provided Google link. “Also give the data if enterprises have already provided empty cylinders to any dealer or supplier for hospital use,” he added.
DS Chawla, president of United Cycle and Parts’ Manufacturers’ Association, said, “Industry stands with the government in this hour of crisis. We are spreading the message of the industries department and the administration. As per the orders of the state government, the factories in the district have already shut down processes that require oxygen. All the oxygen being supplied to Ludhiana can be diverted for medical use.”
Hemant Abbi, executive member of the Moti Nagar United Factory Association, said, “The appeals by the industries department and the administration are justified. We are spreading the word through WhatsApp groups.”
Setting up O2 plant
The state government has sought expression of interest from businessmen willing to set up oxygen manufacturing plants in Punjab. The department of industries has already sent an intimation to the businessmen, asking them to fill an online form so that the government could take things forward.