GUWAHATI, May 17: Assam is now helping other Northeastern states, including Meghalaya, by supplying oxygen for COVID patients in the region.
“Apart from fulfilling the state’s requirement, Assam is helping other Northeastern states like Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland by providing oxygen supply,” chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed reporters during a visit to an oxygen manufacturing plant of Premier Cryogenics Ltd at Saukuchi here on Monday.
Sarma said the distribution of oxygen across the region has been possible as the daily oxygen production capacity of Assam has gone up to 80 metric tonnes as against the state’s requirement of 70 metric tonnes.
Later speaking to reporters, the chief minister thanked Premier Cryogenics Ltd for responding to the state government’s request for restarting the plant, which was closed long back and said that the operationalised unit in the plant was producing 14 metric tonnes of oxygen which has enhanced oxygen availability in the state.
Assam’s daily oxygen-producing capacity had by the end of last month itself gone up to 67.8 metric tonnes.
“Once the second unit of Premier Cryogenics starts functioning in the Saukuchi plant, it would further improve oxygen generation capacity,” Sarma said.
He further informed that the central government has allocated 100 metric tonnes of oxygen to the state, which would be transported by a dedicated train.