Govt completely bans use of ‘liquid oxygen’ for industrial purposes

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 25

Keeping in view the acute shortage of life-saving gas, the government on Sunday completely banned the use of “liquid oxygen” for industrial purposes, as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a communication to all the states and the Union Territories, also made it clear that “no exception is allowed to any industry” with regard to use of the commodity.

In a letter to chief secretaries if the states and the UTs, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, in the capacity of the chairman of the executive committee of the National Disaster Management Act (NDMA) said, “All the authorities need to ensure that use of liquid oxygen is not allowed for any non-medical purpose and that all manufacturing units may maximise their production of liquid oxygen, and make it available to the Government for use for medical purposes only, with immediate effect and until further orders.”

He added that all stocks of liquid oxygen should also be made available to the Government for use for medical purposes and “no exception is allowed to any industry with regard to use of liquid oxygen”.

Bhalla said after reviewing the oxygen supply situation in the country it was considered necessary to restrict industrial usage of oxygen for ensuring availability of adequate and uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen across the country for management of COVID-19 patients and necessary order in this regard was issued on April 22, 2021 to restrict the use of industrial oxygen with an exception of nine identified industrial activities.  

But now after a second review of the oxygen supply situation, it has been decided that with immediate effect, “use of liquid oxygen, including the existing stock, will be allowed for medical purposes only”, Bhalla said.