Mamata writes to PM Modi, urges him to be fair and quick in PSA plant allotment

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to be fair and quick in allotment of pressure swing adsorption (PSA) plants for the state, amid the relentless surge in COVID-19 cases.

In her letter to the prime minister, the TMC supremo said that the state, which was scheduled to get 70 PSA plants, has now been intimated that four such oxygen generating units would be set up in the first phase.

She also complained of lack of clarity in the intimation about the remaining plants.

"The Centre apparently has been contemplating to supply PSA plants to hospitals in states. Priorities are being fixed and re-fixed, implementing agencies are being settled and unsettled, quota for West Bengal is being downwardly revised and further downwardly revised every day.

"We were told we shall get 70 PSA plants, now we are told that we shall get four in the first phase with no clarity on the remaining plants (sic)," she wrote to Modi.

PSA plants are expected to boost supply of oxygen to hospitals that are treating COVID-19 patients.

"I request you to kindly get the priorities, implementing agencies, and quota fixed, justly, fairly and quickly. Our own supplementary PSA-installation plans by state agencies....are getting disturbed because of the indecisiveness at Delhi," Banerjee added.

Last month, the Prime Minister's Office gave approval for allocation of funds from PM CARES for installation of 551 pressure swing adsorption (PSA) medical oxygen generation plants in public health facilities across the country.