Tasaduq Hussain
Srinagar, Apr 21: With the resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the authorities have ordered the setup of oxygen generation plants to ensure there is no crisis and people from remote areas in the northern belt aren’t made to suffer for want of oxygen.
North Kashmir alone has a total of 1562 active cases as on Tuesday and has reported 316 deaths with the highest figures of positivity and fatality in the Baramulla district alone.
The patients requiring a high flow of oxygen from twin districts of Bandipora and Kupwara were referred to either Srinagar or Baramulla.
A senior official of Mechanical Hospital and Central Heating, a wing of Mechanical Engineering Department Kashmir said that the three districts in north Kashmir including Kupwara, Bandipora, and Baramulla will have 1000 oxygen Liters Per Minute (LPM) generating plants and all of them will be made functional in the ensuing week.
The official said that in North Kashmir, Kupwara will be the first district to have the oxygen generation plant functional with a capacity of 1000 liters per minute (LPM).
He said that the work is underway and the trial has been conducted successfully and hopefully the remaining will be finished by tomorrow evening.
“Subsequently it will be finalized in a day or two for use with pipe connections to all the beds separately,” an official said.
In Baramulla, the official said that Government Medical College (GMC), already has 350 Liters Per Minute (LPM), plant functional, and the work for an additional one thousand oxygen generating plant is underway and is expected to be finalized this week only.
An official said that the work for the oxygen generation plant is underway with one thousand Liters Per Minute (LPM) capacity is also underway at Sopore and it will be made functional in a couple of days positively while the trial will be conducted by tomorrow.
About Bandipora, the official said that the work is underway and more required material is being sent, and hopefully, it will be made functional sooner.
The official also said that given the spike in COVID-19 cases in the valley the Health Department has tasked us (MED) to make one oxygen generation plant functional in every district.
“Most vital gadgets required for the plant have been imported. It’s very helpful for the patients requiring a high flow of oxygen besides there is no need of an additional person or cylinder even no transportation of any logistics is required at all,” an official said.
He said that not only during the COVID-19 but patients with different problems including respiratory need a high flow of oxygen will have much ease.
