Plan to install 300 oxygen plants for possible COVID-19 third wave: Gujarat CM

The Gujarat government plans to install 300 pressure swing absorption (PSA) oxygen plants in the state to tackle a possible third wave of the coronavirus infection, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said on Monday.

He said the normal requirement for medical oxygen in the state per day was 100 metric tons, but this had touched 1,200 metric tons during the second wave of the coronavirus infection.

Inaugurating through video conference a 150-litre capacity PSA oxygen plant set up at a cost of Rs 22 lakh in Gadhada in Botad district, the CM said Gujarat was the only state that had controlled the second wave of COVID-19 successfully "without imposing total lockdown".

"We plan to produce 1,800 MT oxygen to meet the demand during a possible third wave. Our target is to set up 300 PSA plants to meet this demand, of which 175 have already been set up. Gujarat is the only state that controlled the second wave successfully without imposing total lockdown, while it is yet to be controlled in many states that opted for lockdown," the CM said.

He also said not a single COVID-19 patient died in the state due to oxygen shortage, adding that over 8 lakh people had recovered from the infection, which is over 98 per cent of the caseload.