Stalin flags off 1,400 oxygen cylinders, regulators to 18 dists

The oxygen cylinders and oxygen regulators imported from Singapore were sent to Karur, Dharmapuri, The Nilgiris, Namakkal, Nagapattinam, Tiruvallur, Theni, Dindigul, Kanniyakumari, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Tirupattur, Kallakurichi, Sivaganga, Tiruvannamalai, Cuddalore, Villupuram and Ranipet during a programme organised at the Secretariat. 

Following the shortage in oxygen and oxygen-related equipment for treatment of COVID-19 patients, Chief Minister directed the SIPCOT to procure required number of equipment. Based on the directions, the SIPCOT placed orders for 1,915 oxygen cylinders, 2,380 oxygen regulators, 3,250 medical oxygen flow meters, 5,000 oxygen concentrators and 800 oxygen filled cylinders worth Rs 40.71 crore from Singapore and eastern countries and Dubai. 

Out of the total orders, 515 oxygen cylinders, 1,780 oxygen regulators, 250 medical oxygen flow meters have been imported so far and steps have been taken to ensure that the remaining order arrives at the earliest. Apart from the imports, the SIPCOT has also procured flow meters with humidifiers, copper pipes, manifolds and outlets worth Rs 4.33 crore from local manufacturers and has supplied to the PWD which has been setting up oxygen beds across the state. 

Further, the SIPCOT has procured 2,000 empty oxygen cylinders from smaller industrial units and had filled them. Of the 2,000 cylinders, 1,010 were sent to Chennai, 130 each to Sivaganga, Tiruvallur districts, 100 each to Villupuram, Vellore, Krishnagiri, Thanjavur districts, 250 to Thoothukudi district and 20 to Tirupattur district. 

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Stalin donated 20 oxygen concentrators to Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi. In the meeting on COVID-19 preventive measures in GCC, held on May 24, it was decided that all 22 MLAs and 3 MPs in Chennai region should donate 20 oxygen concentrators each to GCC and based on the decision taken in the meeting Stalin as part of Kolathur constituency handed over his contribution of 20 oxygen concentrators to GCC.