BENGALURU: Jindal steel works (JSW) has responded to the state government notice on reducing the generation and supply of medical oxygen to Karnataka and said it was over worked.
It has said it will restore full flow from June 7.
Responding to the notice issued under the state disaster management act for reducing the outflow of oxygen by 50 per cent, industries minister and Oxygen supply in-charge Jagadish Shettar told TOI that JSW had explained that there was “no intentional act” in reducing the oxygen to the state.
Amid wild rumours of JSW having decided to reduce the supply of oxygen in light of the state government reneging on its cabinet decision to sell the 3,667 acres of land in Torangallu, Ballari, for its steel plant, Shettar said: “The company top brass personally explained to me, and even has given a written response, that the decision to cut the flow of oxygen was due to operational overload.” Shettar said that JSW explained that there was never such a high demand for oxygen and its plants were overloaded over the last month.
“As a result, the company had to shut down a couple of units for maintenance and operational checks.
The units will be restored in the next two days and JSW has assured that it will restore full supply from June 7,” said Shettar.
The state government had issued the notice to JSW two days ago citing 50 percent reduction in the supply from the company.
Thanking the stars for the reduced demand for oxygen in the state, due to the considerable drop in the Covid-19 cases across Karnataka, the government is said to be considering restoring oxygen for industrial use post June 15.
“A lot of the industrial associations have urged us to provide at least 10 or 15 percent of the oxygen generated in the state for industrial purposes.
We have told them categorically that until the cases reduce further there cannot be any diversion of oxygen.
We hope the situation will change by June 15, after the lockdown,” said Shettar.