Fertilizer companies of the country came forward in a crisis, will supply 50 metric tons of oxygen daily for patients

Many states are facing a lack of oxygen following a spike in coronavirus cases. At the same time, the fertilizer companies of the country have taken up the front to meet the lack of oxygen. The central government said on Wednesday that fertilizer companies such as IFFCO had hoped to supply 50 tonnes of medical oxygen daily to hospitals for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. IFFCO, Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals (GSFC), Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers and Chemicals (GNFC), and other fertilizer companies are increasing the supply of oxygen. However, the government did not give any time limit on how long the oxygen supply would be made available by these fertilizer plants.

Minister of State for Fertilizers and Chemicals Mansukh Mandavia discussed the possibility of increasing oxygen production with both public and private fertilizer companies in a meeting here. The ministry said in a statement that it is expected that around 50 tonnes of medical oxygen per day can be provided to Covid-19 patients by fertilizer plants. This step will increase the supply of medical-grade oxygen in the country's hospitals in the coming days.

According to the ministry, fertilizer cooperative, IFFCO is setting up an oxygen plant at its Kalol unit in Gujarat with a capacity of 200 cubic meters per hour and the total capacity will be 33,000 cubic meters per day. GSFC has made small modifications to its plants and started supplying liquid oxygen, while GNFC has also started supplying the liquid oxygen for medical purposes after starting the air separation unit. Both GSFS and GNFC have started the process to increase their oxygen production capacity. These other fertilizer companies will set up medical plants in hospitals/plants at select locations in the country through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding.

At the meeting, the minister asked fertilizer companies to help the society in times of epidemics to revamp its existing capacity for oxygen production and to increase the supply of medical-grade oxygen to hospitals. The ministry said that fertilizer companies have shown readiness to join the government's efforts to fight the Covid-19 situation in the country.