Ensuring adequate supply of medical oxygen, the Uttar Pradesh government announced that 133 oxygen plants have already been set up across the state while work on the rest of the units is underway. Aiming to make the state self-reliant in meeting oxygen demands in emergency situations, a total of 528 oxygen plants were sanctioned during the second wave of COVID-19, which was at its peak in April and May. Of these, 133 plants have been set up and become operational now.
Addressing a meeting of Team-9 officials in Lucknow on Saturday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “Nine more oxygen plants have become functional in the last two days. The process of establishing the remaining under-construction plants should be completed expeditiously. Setting up oxygen plants is to be mandatory in hospitals with a capacity of 50 or more beds. Review the situation and take necessary action in this regard.”
A total of 23 oxygen plants were already functional across the state before the government decided to set up more units to ensure availability of sufficient medical oxygen. The state government approved 71 oxygen plants, out of which 22 have become functional and 49 are in the progress of becoming operational.
Besides the UP government initiatives, the Centre too has approved the setting up of eight PSA medical oxygen plants with funding from PM Cares. At least 129 new oxygen plants are proposed to be set up from the PM Cares Fund and of these, 17 have been set up while the rest were under process.
At least 80 plants have been proposed to be set up by sugar mills and the Excise department out of which eight are functional, even as 90 oxygen plants are to be set up from MP and MLA Local Area Development Funds. Of these, 16 have started functioning and work is underway in 74 more plants. Under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), 135 plants have been proposed to be set up, out of which 47 have already been installed. Keeping in mind the importance of medical liquid oxygen in the treatment of COVID-19 and other serious patients, the state government has been monitoring the expeditious implementation of these plants.
Meanwhile, the UP government has decided to permit opening of revenue courts and start of Thana and Tehsil Diwas in view of the controlled situation of novel coronavirus infection. “The functioning of revenue courts should be restarted in public interest along with organising Thana Day and Tehsil Day. But strict compliance of Covid protocol, including social distancing, is to be ensured at every place,” the chief minister said.
From next Monday, the state government has allowed the opening of multiplexes, cine theatres, gymnasiums and sports stadiums even as night Covid curfew from 9 pm to 7 am will continue across the state along with closure of all markets and business establishments on weekends.
Yogi further told officials that online registration for vaccination should be encouraged and for public convenience in rural areas, the facility of free registration be provided at common service centres. “Only those should be called to the centres who have to be vaccinated. By issuing time slots, vaccination should be done accordingly and it should be made sure that the jabs are administered only by trained vaccinators,” he said.
