Daily Oxygen Production 7,500t, Demand Surges to 8,000t
India's Largest Steel Company Redirects Factory Oxygen for Medical Use
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Facing a national crisis due to the resurgence of COVID-19, the Indian government is taking drastic measures by redirecting industrial oxygen from vehicle manufacturers and steel companies for medical use. Foreign company factories located in India have also announced consecutive suspensions of operations due to industrial oxygen shortages, but with medical oxygen demand overwhelming total oxygen production, there is little sign that the oxygen shortage will be resolved anytime soon.
According to foreign media including the Hindustan Times on the 28th (local time), Navin Jindal, chairman of India's largest steel company Jindal Steel and Power, stated on Twitter that "we are supplying 200 to 300 tons of liquid oxygen daily to various state governments and hospitals," adding, "We will overcome the oxygen shortage by supplying all the liquid oxygen previously used in factories for medical purposes."
Earlier, on the 22nd, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs issued an order restricting the use of industrial oxygen. Although the steel sector was classified as an essential industry along with medical, water purification, and nuclear sectors and thus exempt from oxygen use restrictions, the rapidly worsening COVID-19 situation has led to the redirection of oxygen intended for steel companies to medical use. Previously, Tata Group, India's largest automobile company, also announced the suspension of operations at some factories and the deployment of all available vehicles for oxygen transportation.
According to the British BBC, India's daily production of liquefied oxygen is about 7,500 tons, with medical oxygen consumption at approximately 800 tons per day. However, due to the surge in COVID-19 patients, the demand has increased tenfold to 8,000 tons, forcing even the 2,500 tons daily demand for essential industries to be redirected for medical use. India's cumulative COVID-19 death toll surpassed 200,000 the previous day, with over 2,500 deaths and more than 300,000 confirmed cases occurring daily.
Foreign companies operating in India have also announced temporary suspensions of operations. According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Japan's Toyota Motor announced that its Karnataka plant in southern India will be closed from the 26th of this month until the 14th of next month. Suzuki Motor also announced it will suspend operations at its Gurgaon and Manesar plants in India from the 1st to the 9th of next month. Suzuki India stated in a press release that "we believe oxygen should be used to save lives now," and that they will advance planned facility maintenance to suspend factory operations.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
