Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, on Sunday, wrote to Chief Secretaries of States and Administrators of Union Territories that they should issue necessary instructions to all authorities concerned in their States/Union Territories to take necessary measures to prohibit supply of oxygen for industrial purposes.

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The prohibition will be applied to all, except in nine industries as stated in the letter of the Union Health & Family Welfare Secretary dated April 18. This is keeping in view the rapid rise in Covid-19 cases in various parts of the country and the resultant rapid demand for medical oxygen, particularly in high-burden States of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan.

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Recommendations of EG-II

The letter of the Home Secretary follows the decision taken by the Government on Sunday, on the recommendations of the Empowered Group-II, that the supply of oxygen for industrial purposes by manufacturers and suppliers is prohibited (except in nine industries) forthwith from April 22 till further orders, so as to augment supply for medical oxygen in the country and to save precious lives.

“It will help in augmenting supply for medical oxygen in the country and in saving precious lives,” he wrote.

The Empowered Group-II (EG-II) headed by Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT), is mandated by the Government to manage requisite supplies of medical equipments, drugs including medical oxygen across the country in the wake of resurgence of Covid-19 cases. Medical oxygen is a life saving drug whose supplies are being regularly monitored and managed by this Group.

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