Ahead of possible Covid-19 third wave, Delhi govt notifies new oxygen policy

In order to manage possible COVID surges in the near future more efficiently, the Delhi government has come up with a policy to augment the production, transportation and storage capacity of medical oxygen in the capital. The policy is incentive-driven and plans to commission up to 100 MT capacity liquid oxygen by December 31, 2022. PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) plants of up to Rs 200 MT capacity will be commissioned by March 31, 2022 followed by cryogenic tankers with capacity of up to 500 MT will be commissioned by December 31, 2021.

The policy document reads, ” “The sudden increased demand coupled with negligible oxygen production in the State has necessitated dependence on resources outside Delhi. As the number of patients requiring oxygen support increased in a very short span of time (during the second wave), the pressure on supply of medical oxygen to hospitals was significantly strained leading to notable delay in movement of oxygen from outside Delhi. Though the present situation is better, a similar crisis may reoccur in future and it is needed to be better equipped to manage such a situation in future”, as reported by The Indian Express.

Approved by the Delhi cabinet on August 3, the policy seeks to provide incentives into private enterprises in the form of subsidies and tax reimbursements to invest in the medical oxygen sector. A subsidy of Rs 20 lakh per metric tonne capacity will be provided for liquid oxygen manufacturing plants and PSA plants and Rs 3 lakh subsidy per metric-tonne capacity of cryogenic tankers among others. So far, 42 PSA plants have been installed by the Delhi government in its hospitals with a combined capacity to generate 50.08 MT (metric tonne) of medical oxygen in order to meet a sudden spike in Covid cases during a third wave which is likely to hit the country.

The official records, as quoted in The Indian Express, reveals that out of the total, 13 PSA plants have been set up using the PM Cares fund–seven in Delhi government hospitals and six in Centre-run hospitals. The rest falls under various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

PSA plants will be set up to generate medical oxygen located within premises of hospitals. These facilities will help meet emergency oxygen situations like the one we faced during the second wave when the demand for medical oxygen had surged sharply, leaving the government and people struggling for oxygen supply.