Aurangabad, May 10:
Two oxygen plants will come up in Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) instead of Meltron COVID Care Centre in the city.
It may be noted that the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) decided to establish a liquid oxygen plant at its Meltron Hospital nine months ago, taking into the shortage of oxygen. The proposal was in pending for availability of fund, tendering and work orders.
Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray took the lead to have more oxygen plants in the city. A total of four plants were to come up. The Meltron plants proposal was cancelled. The district administration has decided to start the two plants at GMCH.
Meltron COVID Care Centre may face a shortage of oxygen in the coming days because of this.
When contacted, AMC administrator Astik Kumar Pande said that he had no knowledge about started oxygen plants at GMCH instead of Meltron Hospital.
He said that he would hold discussions with the district collector if anything had happened like this.
The city daily needs 55 tonnes of oxygen. The required quantity of oxygen is available. Astik Kumar Pande said that they are trying to have at least one day’s stock.
He hoped that the work of two oxygen plant, for which Aditya Thackeray is taking the initiative, would be completed by the current month-end.
Earlier, oxygen was brought from Karnataka. However, its State Government expressed an inability for the supply of oxygen. Pandey said efforts are being made to bring oxygen from Jamnagar (Gujarat).