Pradhan urges Centre for 19 more PSA medical oxygen plants in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Amid COVID-19 surge in second wave, Union Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan urged Union Health Minister to set up more Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) medical oxygen plants in Odisha.

In a letter to Union Health & Family Welfare Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Pradhan sought 19 more PSA oxygen plants in 15 districts in addition to 21 oxygen plants being set up across various districts of Odisha.

Last month, Prime Minister accorded emergency approval for installation of 551 dedicated PSA medical oxygen plants in public health facilities across the country from PM Care Fund, in addition to the 162 PSA plants allocated earlier.

As per decision, 21 PSA plants are being set up across various districts of Odisha; 7 are being set up by DRDO, 7 by Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and 7 by Govt of India, he wrote.

However, in view of the wide spread impact of COVID-19 second wave in Odisha, more districts need to be covered and supported further, he wrote.

He requested to the Union Health Ministry to set up additional 19 PSA medical oxygen plants in 15 districts as proposed by the State Government. The districts included, Balasore (2), Balangir (2), Cuttack (1), Deogarh (1), Dhenkanal (1), Ganjam (2), Jagatsinghpur (1), Kendrapara (1), Khordha (1), Koraput (1), Mayurbhanj (2), Puri (1), Rayagada (1), Sambalpur (1) and Sonepur (1).

Pradhan sought personal intervention of his cabinet colleague Dr. Harsh Vardhan stating, “the matter is the most urgent and timely action will help save precious lives of people living in different parts of Odisha.”

He lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the initiatives to tackle spread of COVID infections and strengthening healthcare infrastructure in fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

He wrote that India is facing one of its toughest battles against second wave of COVID-19, the invisible enemy. As cases surge exponentially across the country, Prime Minister has bolstered the ongoing concerted drive against the pandemic by taking several more critical initiatives and crucial decisions to extend all possible assistance to States including Odisha in battling the spread of the virus.