Covid-19: Indian Government Prohibits Supply of Oxygen for Industrial Use

New Delhi: Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla writes to all Chief Secretaries asking them to take all measures to prohibit supply of oxygen for industrial purposes, except those exempted, refer full content of letters…

Ajay Bhalla, IAS, Home Secretary, Government of India

Please refer to my DO letter of even no. dated 16 April 2021, whereby a supply plan of medical oxygen, prepared by the Empowered Group (EG)-II, which is mandated for coordinating medical logistics including oxygen, and required to be followed by all States/ UTs and concerned agencies, was shared.

Keeping in view the rapid rise in COVID cases and resultant rapid demand for medical Oxygen, particularly in high-burden States of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, etc., EG-II has reviewed the supply of oxygen for industrial use in order to divert the same to meet the rising demand for medical oxygen in the country and save precious lives. Accordingly, EG II has recommended to prohibit the supply of Oxygen for industrial purposes by manufacturers and suppliers forth with from 22.04.2021 till further orders, with the exception of nine specified industries. The recommendation of the EG-II has been accepted by the Government and the said decision, along with the list of nine exempted industries, have been conveyed by Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, vide his DO letter dated 18th April 2021 (copy enclosed).

I, therefore, urge you to issue necessary instructions to all the authorities concerned in your State to ensure compliance to the decision of EG-LI and take necessary measures to prohibit supply of Oxygen for industrial purposes, except those exempted nine industries. It will help in augmenting supply for medical oxygen in the country and in saving precious lives.

Rajesh Bhushan, IAS Secretary, Government of India Department of Health and Family Welfare Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

The Empowered Group-1 (EG-11) headed by Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT) is mandated by Govt. of India to manage requisite supplies of medical equipment, drugs including medical oxygen across the country in the wake of resurgence of COVID-19 cases, Medical oxygen is one life saving drug, whose supplies are being regularly monitored and managed by this Group.
There has been a significant surge in the demand for medical oxygen. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has conveyed that this has already reached about 60 percent of the total daily Oxygen production, and is expected to rise further
While every effort is being made to meet the rising demand for medical oxygen, including augmenting daily production and stocks and States/UTs are taking appropriate steps for optimum and rationalized utilization of available stock of oxygen, the present trend necessitates additional measures. The matter has been deliberated by the DPIIT with all the stakeholders and after due deliberations, it has been considered prudent to restrict industrial usage of oxygen to meet the rising demand for medical oxygen.
Accordingly, the EGHII has recommended that the supply of Oxygen for industrial purposes by manufacturers and suppliers be prohibited forthwith from 22.04.2021 till further orders. This recommendation has been accepted & the said prohibition on supply would come into effect from 22/04/2021.
The aforesaid prohibition, however, shall not apply to the supply of oxygen for the industries listed hereunder:
Ampoules & Vials
Pharmaceutical
Petroleum refineries
Steel plants
Nuclear energy facilities
Oxygen cylinder manufacturers
Waste water treatment plants
Food & water purification
Process industries which require uninterrupted operation of furnaces, processes, etc. as approved by respective State governments
The industrial units (other than those listed above) which would not be in a position to obtain oxygen are advised to consider alternate measures such as import of Oxygen or setting up their own Air Separator Units (ASU) for generation of Oxygen for their captive requirements. …contd/