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COVID-19: Indian industry steps in to support healthcare system

Most of the major business houses have reached out with help

ganga ram hospital oxygen ap A truck carrying oxygen enters Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi on April 23 | AP

With the nation’s healthcare system down on its knees, India Inc has stepped in to do whatever it can. This has ranged from business associations scrambling to meet the crippling shortage of oxygen to individual business houses arranging or ramping up supplies from wherever they can.

Most of the major business houses have stepped in to help. Tatas are importing 36 cryogenic vessels which are expected to arrive within a couple of days, while Reliance is supplying 700 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen, scheduled to be scaled up to 1,000 tonnes, to many states, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Maruti Suzuki has announced that it will shut down all its factories in Haryana to make oxygen available for medical needs. “Maruti uses a small amount of oxygen in its factories…in the current situation, we believe that all available oxygen should be used to save lives,” said a statement issued by the company on Wednesday. A similar decision was taken by fellow firm Suzuki Motor regarding its plant in Gujarat.

“It is heartening to see that Industry has come forward in such a big way to support the cause and provide solutions in a very short span of time using all possible means,” said Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) president-designate and Tata Steel MD T.V. Narendran.

Business chamber FICCI, in association with its German partner association BVMW, on Wednesday announced that they are procuring 1,500 oxygen concentrators for private hospitals in India. The first batch of the freight containing the medical devices and accessories is being airlifted from Frankfurt airport on Wednesday. BVMW representative Daniel Raja said, “Considering the current crisis in India and the huge global demand of such medical equipment, this procurement is an important achievement which was only possible due to the close collaboration between FICCI, the Indian embassy and BVMW.”

One of the first responders to desperate pleas for oxygen from Delhi and neighbouring states was Jindal Steel, which sent oxygen via rail. The total supply from all its plants is estimated to top 20,000 tonnes this month. 

“Efforts are on to further increase oxygen supplies from steel plants across the country. The government has already come up with a tender for importing 50,000 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen,” said Seshagiri Rao M.V.S., joint managing director, Jindal South West Steel. Seshagiri also heads the task force on oxygen supply, formed by the business chamber CII, which is looking at coordinating logistics, transportation and availability of oxygen between states as well as industry.

In addition, Kolkata major ITC is airlifting 24 cryogenic ISO containers, with 20 tonnes capacity each. It is also exploring the imports of a large number of oxygen concentrators as well as generators for distribution. ITC's paperboards unit in Bhadrachalam has already commenced supply of oxygen to identified government hospitals in Telangana.

Earlier, Adani Group was one of the first off the block, by importing four ISO cryogenic tanks with 80 MT liquid oxygen from Saudi Arabia. ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India is supplying 220 MT of liquid oxygen per day to Gujarat.  

The commercial vehicle manufacturers, under the aegis of India’s auto makers body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), are sensitising and alerting the eco-system to ensure fastest turn-around time for vehicles transporting oxygen. Technologies like track and trace and/or connected vehicles, are being leveraged in this regard. All support and assistance required for keeping these vehicles on road and running are also being made available.

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