In order to ensure uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen in government and private hospitals across the state amidst COVID pandemic, the Health Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu today said that the state government has made elaborate arrangements for manufacturing and refilling of the Oxygen cylinders.Divulging more details, the Health Minister said that besides ensuring the supply of medical oxygen to hospitals in the Ludhiana district, the district administration has made adequate arrangements for ensuring oxygen supply to other districts as per requirement. He said that with the concerted efforts of Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana Mr. Varinder Kumar Sharma, all arrangements have been made for manufacturing of 800 oxygen cylinders per day in Ludhiana, besides filling of 3000 cylinders daily.Mr. Sidhu said that Ludhiana was the largest district and one of the worst COVID affected districts in the state. He said that Deputy Commissioner Mr. Varinder Kumar Sharma has impressed upon the industrialist of Ludhiana to immediately start the supply of medical oxygen for the hospitals.
Earlier, Weltek Equipments and Infrastructure Limited had a plant at Gyaspura village, which produces oxygen only for industries. Similarly, most of the oxygen suppliers had not license for medical oxygen supply.Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana in coordination with Principal Secretary Health Department issued Medical Oxygen Repacking License to five Oxygen Suppliers (Harpreet Cryogenics, GDR Gases, Weltek Equipments, BOC Gases and Aparna Gases) in Ludhiana. A Manufacturing Unit of M/S Weltek Equipments and Infrastructure Ltd. was issued license to manufacture Medical Oxygen, the first such license in Ludhiana and resolved the lack of medical oxygen problem.On the persuasion of district administration, the Weltek Equipments has started a free supply of oxygen cylinders for the needy persons under the banner of 'Sambhav' Foundation. Persons in need can contact on mobile numbers; 97799-18899 and 98140-27317, to avail this free service.The Minister said that Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana and Nodal Officer were in constant contact of the Deputy Commissioners of Solan (HP), Panipat (Haryana) and Dehradun (Uttrakhand) to ensure the supply of medical oxygen as the corona patients have not to face any difficulty.