Rlys create green corridor to ship UK gift of O2 plant to Chirang hosp in Assam

GUWAHATI: The UK has gifted three oxygen plants to India, of which two have been earmarked for Rajasthan and one for Assam, health officials said. The gift will be a life-saver for the people of Bodo-inhabited tribal areas in Chirang district of west Assam, where the lack of an oxygen plant was a major worry during the pandemic.
The Railways made a green corridor, free of rail traffic from the national capital to Guwahati, to transport the oxygen plant to the JSB Civil hospital in Chirang. The Railways covered a journey of over 2,000km from New Delhi in a record time of 32 hours, quicker than the journey of the Rajdhani Express. Many district hospitals in Assam are functioning without oxygen generation plants. By refilling the cylinders allotted to them, these hospitals passed a crucial time.
Superintendent of JSB Civil hospital, Dr Manoj Kumar Das, told TOI that they are now expecting technical experts from Delhi. “The oxygen generation capacity of 500 liter per minute is more than enough for this district hospital which hardly has 11 active patients under treatment,” Das said. Predictions of the second wave reaching its peak towards the end of May have left health officials in the state sweating. “The state capital Guwahati is more than 200 km away from Chirang. People are less aware of oxygen needs in rural areas. People don’t keep oxygen cylinders at home as in metro cities. So the gift from the UK has come as a blessing,” Das said.
About 80% of the oxygen to be generated from the plant can be supplied outside the hospital. But no guidelines on bottling the gas have been issued as of now.
The consignment reached Amingaon in north Guwahati on Wednesday night and was immediately shipped by road to Kajalgaon. The Railways have been a savior in the hour of distress. “This is very heartening to state that the journey of 2,100 km from Delhi was covered in 32 hours, at an average speed of 65 kmph. This is how we carry consignments when need arises,” general manager of NF Railway, Anshul Gupta, said on Thursday.
Considering the high dependence on oxygen during the second wave, the Railways are on the alert. Under NFR, Gupta said six oxygen plants will be installed in Railway hospitals at Maligaon, Katihar, New Bongaigaon, Alipurduar, Lumding and Dibrugarh.
At present, the daily oxygen generation capacity in Assam is 65.8 MT, but the daily consumption has been 50-55MT. Besides, there is a storage capacity of 480MT, even as the government is trying to bring liquid oxygen from outside the state. The need for oxygen plants is being felt like never before in the state. “Covid patients need oxygen for over 10 days, after turning negative to the virus. More oxygen beds, more medical oxygen are needed to prepare for the worst,” said a senior health official.