Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday said that oxygen generator plants will be set up in all 135 community health centres (CHCs) and district hospitals of the state for uninterrupted oxygen supply.

The Chief Minister said this after virtually inaugurating four oxygen generator plants in three government hospitals in Gurugram.These plants have been set up in collaboration with Maruti Suzuki India Limited.

Khattar said that industries have made a commendable contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

In the first wave of Covid-19, there was a shortage of concentrators but soon this shortage was overcome, he said.

The Chief Minister said, “Though in the second wave, initially, there was some problem regarding oxygen supply but with the dedicated efforts made by the State Government, in a short span of time, uninterrupted oxygen supply is being ensured in Haryana.

For this along with setting up new oxygen plants, efforts are being made to get oxygen from other states as well. Besides this, tankers were also airlifted to ensure an uninterrupted oxygen supply, he said.

He further said that health infrastructure is being strengthened ahead of the possible expected third wave of COVID-19.

The State Government while taking this challenge head-on is making dedicated efforts to set up oxygen plants in hospitals which would certainly prove beneficial in tackling the third wave. Since experts have predicted that in the third expected wave of COVID-19, children are likely to be affected more, therefore the government is making all necessary arrangements well in advance, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, MarutiSuzuki's Managing Director, Kenichi Ayukawa assured full cooperation to the State Government in the future as well.

Two plants having the capacity of producing 1.0 ton and 0.5 ton oxygen have been set up in Gurugram Civil Hospital Sector 10.  With the setting up of these plans, an uninterrupted oxygen supply would be in about 100 to 150 beds.

Similarly, two more plants having a capacity of 1.0 ton each have been set up in ESI Hospital Sector-9-A and in ESI Hospital Sector 3 Manesar.