Oxygen storage capacity ramped up in Delhi for possible third Covid-19 wave

Three oxygen storage plants with a total capacity of 171 MT have been installed so far in the city to prepare for a possible third wave of COVID-19, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday.

A 57 metric tonne (MT) cryogenic tank is being set up for storage along with an oxygen generation plant of 2.5 tonne per day capacity at Siraspur here, he said after visiting the upcoming facility.

"We have already installed 3 oxygen storage plants till now of 57 MT each, total capacity 171 MT. Work done on war footing. Grateful to all those who made it happen," he tweeted after the visit.

Delhi faced an acute shortage of oxygen during the second wave surge in April and May, with some COVID patients dying at two hospitals in the city due to scarcity of the life-saving gas.

The Delhi government is buying 25 oxygen tankers and putting up 64 oxygen plants in the next few weeks to ensure the city does not face another oxygen crisis as it did during the second wave, the chief minister had said last week.

It is also creating an oxygen storage capacity of 420 tonnes to meet any future needs.

The government is also in talks with the IGL for setting up of a 150-tonne oxygen production plant, the chief minister had said.