In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as many as 32 additional Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen generation plants have been sanctioned by the Centre for Jammu and Kashmir under the PM CARES Fund.
The capacity of these 32 plants would be 24,850 litres per minute (LPM). Out of these, 13 each will be set up in Kashmir and Jammu divisions with a capacity of 13,550 LPM and 12,350 LPM respectively.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration had approached the Union Health Ministry, for providing additional PSA plants to the union territory, considering the demand and need to make the oxygen generation facility available in all district hospitals and some major Community Health Centres (CHCs) for tackling the second wave and possible third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to an official statement from the administration, the Health and Medical Education Department has taken an initiative to augment the existing oxygen generation capacity in 37 major hospitals of the union territory by way of installation and commissioning of additional 84 medical oxygen generation plants having capacity of 71,650 LPM.
So far, 44 oxygen generation plants (39350 LPM) have been installed and made operational. Remaining 40 oxygen generation plants (31750 LPM) are in the process of installation and are likely to be installed by July, this year. Before April, 2021, the oxygen generation capacity of Jammu and Kashmir was 15,082 LPM only.
30 Oxygen generation plants (13300 LPM) are being installed in 30 CHCs/Sub Divisional Hospitals (SDHs), 15 each in Jammu and Kashmir division under World Bank Funding. The installation of these plants is also in progress through the Economic Reconstruction Agency of Jammu and Kashmir.
The total number of PSA plants in Jammu and Kashmir would rise to 146 after installation of all the oxygen generation plants. The union territory will have the capacity of generating oxygen to the extent of 1.26 lakh LPM after installation of additional 102 PSA plants including 32 sanctioned. As per data released by the Union Health Ministry, Jammu and Kashmir has 11,381 active COVID-19 cases. The cumulative recoveries stand at 2,93,763 while 4,217 people have succumbed to the virus.
( With inputs from ANI )
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor