Tirunelveli, May 14 (UNI) As there has been huge demand for oxygen to
treat COVID patients, Tamil Nadu Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu
today said all defunct oxygen producing plants across the State will be
revived and ensure that they commence their operations soon.
Talking to reporters after inspecting a defunct oxygen plant at the SIPCOT
Industrial complex in Gangaikondan in this district, he said steps were on,
on war-footing to ensure the early operation of all defunct plants for treating
COVID-19 patients.
Mr.Thennarasu said he and District Collector V.Vishnu held talks with the
authorities of the plant which stopped oxygen production in 2014 itself for
various reasons.
Assuring that the government would extend all help to resume oxygen
production at the earliest, he said Tirunelveli Sub-Collector had been
entrusted with the task of coordinating with the officials of the plant--which
has the capacity to generate 2.50 tonnes of oxygen a day--to facilitate the
early production of the life-saving gas.
“Following instructions from Chief Minister M K Stalin, steps have been
taken to ensure production of oxygen from every possible source, even
though some of the oxygen making units are not functioning now", he
added.
'We will facilitate early operation of these plants to produce oxygen and
supply to the patients,” Mr.Thennarasu said.
Instead of producing oxygen that was stopped in 2014, the plant is now
bottling the gas in cylinders after getting it from various sources.
Since the plant had stocked good number of oxygen cylinders when the
Minister and the Collector arrived at the premises, they asked the plant
officials to immediately transport the cylinders to the Tirunelveli Medical
College Hospital where 940 critically ill COVID-19 patients were put on
oxygen support.
UNI GV 1800