COVID-19: CIL to set up 25 oxygen generation plants across 22 hospitals

• These O2 generations plants will be set up in CIL's own hospitals and in district hospitals where four of CIL's subsidiaries operate to support 3,328 beds

• Of the 25 plants, five are being installed at CIL's own hospitals at an investment of Rs 4.25 crore

New Delhi: State-run Coal India Limited (CIL) is pumping Rs 35 crore into the installation of 25 oxygen generation plants across 22 hospitals to increase the supply of the lifesaving gas for COVID-19 patients. These O2 generations plants will be set up in CIL's own hospitals and in district hospitals where four of CIL's subsidiaries operate to support 3,328 beds, said CIL in an official statement released on Tuesday. While the combined O2 generation capacity of 20 plants is a little above 12,700 litres per minute, four of the plants together generate 750 Cubic metres per hour. One is a refilling plant, added the statement.

5 oxygen plants to come up at CIL hospitals, cover 332 beds

Of the 25 plants, five are being installed at CIL's own hospitals at an investment of Rs 4.25 crore, covering 332 beds. Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) and Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) will be putting up two plants each, while Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) will set up one plant.

The rest 20 plants will be installed in district hospitals under CIL's corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme. Fully financed by CIL, these plants account for Rs 30.75 crore or 88 percent of CIL's total Rs 35-crore investment. CIL spent Rs 264 crore exclusively on Covid relief measures during FY21, which is 50 percent of its total CSR spending of Rs 523 crore.

Five plants at CIL hospitals to be installed before July

"Responding to the oxygen need and to scale up its availability we are installing O2 plants on a war footing. All CIL owned five plants will be installed before July, in a phased manner, beginning from the first week of June. Plants supported by CIL at district hospitals are expected to be completed by August," said a senior executive of the company.

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In a unique model, CIL has engaged a voluntary organisation to establish oxygen banks at 10 locations of Jharkhand and Bihar at Rs 1.34 crore. At least 20 ventilators at each location will be given at no-cost door delivery to the afflicted. Additionally, the company is also contributing Rs 47 lakh towards ventilators to a Kolkata Police Hospital. At a time when Oxygen has become a critical element in Covid-19 treatment, CIL has 2,324 oxygen cylinders and 237 ventilators ready for use at its hospitals. "With the government declaring Covid measures as common CSR theme for CPSEs in FY22, we shall further augment our Covid relief measures," said the executive.

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