Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 21: Reliance Industries Ltd has shifted towards manufacturing of medical grade oxygen at its Jamnagar oil refineries at a target to produce over 700 tonnes against 100 tonnes a day. The produced oxygen is being supplied free of cost to states badly affected by Covid-19, sources revealed.
The supply will benefit over 70,000 critically ill patients everyday in states where supplies being made like Gujrat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The company is aiming at producing 1,000 tonnes medical grade oxygen a day without giving a timeline.
Jamnagar refineries which convert crude oil into products such as diesel, petrol and jet fuel, had previously not produced medical grade oxygen. But the demand and need due to the rapid surge in coronavirus cases had led the company to install equipment and set up processes to produce and supply medical grade oxygen.
"Every day nearly 700 tonnes of oxygen is being supplied to states across India. This will provide relief to over 70,000 critically ill patients daily," one of the persons said.
The entire process of supply, transportation in special tankers at -183 degree Celcius is being carried out free of cost stating that it was a part of the company's CSR initiative.
In similar lines, state-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) too have begun diverting oxygen produced at their refineries to supplement the availability of medical oxygen in states worst hit by Covid-19.
IOC said that it has begun the supply of 150 tonnes of oxygen at no cost to various hospitals in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab. BPCL said it has started supply of 100 tonnes of oxygen at no cost. Dhanraj Nathwani, Vice President, Gujarat Cricket Association and a close associate of the promoters of Reliance, in a tweet on Tuesday said: "400 tons of #oxygen is being supplied to #Gujarat by the Reliance Jamnagar, on a daily basis. This shows our commitment for Gujarat."
Reliance Foundation, in collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on the other hand set up first COVID hospital in Mumbai. The 100-bed hospital was set up in just two weeks, which was soon scaled up to 250 beds. Reliance also built a fully-equipped isolation facility in Lodhivali, Maharashtra and handed it over to the district authorities among various other initiatives.