BHUBANESWAR: The state works department has expedited the process of setting up pressure swing adsorption (PSA) medical oxygen generation plants in various hospitals of the state.
A control room has been set up at the engineer-in-chief’s office here to monitor and ensure smooth coordination with local officials for the fast-tracking of the PSA oxygen plants.
Officials said issues related to site selection, finalisation of civil works, electrical and gas pipeline requirement for the PSA plants are being monitored on a regular basis.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik had recently laid the foundation for the liquid medical oxygen and PSA medical oxygen generation plants in seven districts, including the state-run medical colleges in Balasore, Koraput, Balangir, Burla, Cuttack, Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar and the district headquarters hospital in Nabarangpur.
“Keeping in mind the importance of medical liquid oxygen in the treatment of Covid patients, we are monitoring the expeditious implementation of these plants.
These facilities will help the state fight possible future waves of the Covid-19 pandemic,” a senior works department official said.
The task force constituted by the state government for the management of the medical oxygen supply in the state has also been monitoring the implementation of the setting up of these plants.
When the second wave of Covid hit home, Odisha supplied medical oxygen to several states to cater their needs.
Besides the initiatives of the state government, the Centre has also approved the establishment of eight PSA medical oxygen plants with funding from PM Cares.
These plants will be set up in Balasore, Bhadrak, Balangir, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Koraput, Nayagrah and Sonepur by the Defence Research and Development Organization.
Plans of setting up more PSA plants in Angul, Jajpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Malkangiri and Sundargarh with the PM Cares Fund are also on the anvil, while the PSUs of the petroleum ministry have announced that they would set up plants in the state to boost the medical oxygen supply to hospitals in the state, the officials said.