New Delhi: Amid the rising Covid-19 cases in the country and the demand for oxygen, the government is planning to install 10,000 oxygenated beds in a short period of time by making temporary hospitals.

This will be done near industrial units which produce oxygen of requisite purity to boost the supply of the life-saving gas to fight Covid-19.

A statement said the government has also explored the feasibility of conversion of existing nitrogen plants to produce oxygen, and various such potential industries where the existing nitrogen plants may be spared for production of oxygen were identified.

The government noted that many industries like steel plants, refineries with petrochemical units, industries using rich combustion processes and power plants among others have oxygen plants that produce gaseous oxygen.
‘This oxygen can be tapped for medical use,’ it said.
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The strategy being used is to identify industrial units which produce gaseous oxygen of requisite purity, shortlist those which are closer to cities, dense areas and demand centres and establish temporary COVID care establishments with oxygenated beds near that source.