Government to set up liquid bottling plants at six thermal power units amid a sudden rise in the demand for it due to the pandemic
Chief Secretary and secretaries of departments involved in pandemic management have been allowed to clear purchases without any delay. Representational image
Six thermal power units where oxygen is produced will have liquid bottling plants set up on their premises. The bottles will be distributed to the districts in their neighbourhood.
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“At present, we get 1,500MT and will get more in days to come. But we cannot go beyond 2,000 metric tonnes of oxygen we get or will get from manufacturers inside and outside Maharashtra,” said state health minister Rajesh Tope.
To ramp up in-house production, the government will buy oxygen generators. It will also deploy officials at the plants to expedite manufacturing of the machines. Each district has been asked to buy at least 200 oxygen concentrators.
The Chief Secretary and secretaries of departments involved in pandemic management have been vested with powers to clear purchases without any delay.
State to import vaccines
Tope said the state will import vaccines to accelerate immunisation of those above 18 years. “There will be no compromise on vaccination of the young people who go out for jobs. Since vaccinating the 18-45 age group is the state’s responsibility, we decided today to spend whatever is needed. We may even divert development funds for the state’s inoculation programme. We will also import vaccines,” the minister said.
FDA chief transferred
The political row over Remdesivir has claimed its first victim. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) commissioner Abhimanyu Kale was replaced by Parimal Singh with immediate effect on Tuesday evening, a couple of hours after state ministers demanded action against him in a cabinet meeting.
Kale was blamed for mishandling of the shortage of the drug, which shot into controversy after a supplier was accused of passing it exclusively to the BJP. Kale’s role in the episode is being questioned by the ruling parties. Also, thousands of vials of Remedisivir were seized from black markets over the past two days.
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