By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan today dedicated Jumbo Covid Care facility in SAIL’s Durgapur Steel Plant.The Minister of State for Steel Faggan Singh Kulaste, West Bengal Minister of Law and Public Works Moloy Ghatak, Member of Parliament S.S.Ahluwalia, MLAs, Officers of the Ministry of Steel, State Government and SAIL were among those present in the virtual ceremony.
The facility has 200- bedded COVID care facility at Durgapur Steel Plant. The centre is equipped with the facility of gaseous oxygen which will be directly being drawn from the plant through a dedicated pipeline ensuring uninterrupted oxygen supply for the patients. A double storied building has been swiftly modified to be used as a COVID hospital, with all necessary installations and medical equipment. This centre, located beside the national highway – GT Road, has an added vantage point for the COVID patients of the region to access the hospital.
Speaking on the occasion, Pradhan said that the Centre will give boost to COVID-related medical infrastructure in the region and provide much needed help to the patients of the region. He said that SAIL’s both the steel plants in West Bengal at Durgapur and Burnpur have been standing strong to provide every possible help to the state in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. SAIL has strengthened the Bengal’s resolve to fight the pandemic.Recently, a 200 bedded COVID care facility at Burnpur was dedicated to the service of the nation. This was the first in the series of jumbo COVID care facilities being set up by SAIL in a fast track mode.
Pradhan said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the use of gaseous oxygen tapped from the source was conceptualized. He said that Durgapur’s facility is also in line with the Prime Minister’s call for “Jahan Bimaar, Wahin Upchaar” and Prime Minister’s philosophy of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas”.
Describing Vaccination as our most potent weapon against the COVID-19 pandemic, he said that our indigenous vaccine manufacturers are in the process of enhancing their capacities significantly. Vaccines available in other countries too are in the process of reaching India. Shri Pradhan called upon the industry to vaccinate all stakeholders and their family members with the mantra of 1+2. That is, for every employee, two non-employees should also be vaccinated including the contract workforce and their families.
The Minister said that the steel as well as the petroleum sectors have stood by the nation during the pandemic. They played a stellar role in meeting the requirement of liquid medical oxygen in the country. The LMO requirement was just 1300 MT two months back but the second wave led to the surge in its demand which went beyond 10,000 MT per day in the first week of May. Most of the requirement was met by the Steel plants. He said that by redirecting the production capacity of liquid nitrogen and argon and reducing own oxygen requirement, our steel companies have looked beyond business and stood by the nation in these unprecedented times.
The Minister said that COVID-19 pandemic is a once-in-a-century challenge our country is faced with. He said that the Government is working incessantly to respond to every facet of this crisis. Pradhan said that amidst the challenging time, the nation has shown that it can come together. India will eventually win and prevail over this invisible enemy.
