Despite ban, steel industries continue to operate and use oxygen in Himachal

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, April 27

Steel industries in industrial hubs of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh in Solan district and Kala Amb and Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur district continued to operate and use industrial oxygen despite the Ministry of Home Affairs directing all states to ban use of industrial oxygen for industrial purposes on Sunday.

Enquires made by The Tribune from the officials of the power department revealed that all 12 to 15 steel units in the BBN industrial hub were operational.

Superintending Engineer, HP State Electricity Board Limited, Rakesh Thakur said as per power utilisation of steel units in the BBN industrial hub all units were operating.

The units had, however, scaled down their production and fewer shifts were operational informed officials.

Similar scenario was witnessed in the Paonta Sahib and Kala Amb industrial areas, which was the hub of steel units in the state.

There were about 20 functional steel and iron mills in both the district.

Notably, keeping in view the acute shortage of life-saving gas, the Ministry of Home Affairs in a communication to all the states and the Union Territories, had banned use of industrial oxygen on Sunday and had clearly stated that “no exception is allowed to any industry” with regard to use of this commodity.

Deputy Commissioner, Solan, KC Chaman said the deputy director, Industries, Baddi, has been directed to check all such units and ensure that they were not supplied any industrial oxygen by the manufacturers.

He, however, added that no fresh stock of liquid oxygen has been supplied to them by the local oxygen manufacturers and they were exhausting their inventory.

He added that the officials of the labour department have also been directed to engage their labour in other works in a bid to provide them employment as these units will have to shut their operations now.

Deputy Commissioner, Sirmaur, Dr RK Pruthi, when quizzed, said though there was no shortage of medical oxygen in the state but given its shortage in other states, this issue was being reviewed and directions would soon be issued to the steel units after due deliberations with departments concerned.