CM asks Centre to allow 20% 02 for industrial use

A day after requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has urged Union Minister for Industries Piyush Goyal that steel industries should be allowed to use 20 per cent quantity of oxygen produced in Chhattisgarh.

During his telephonic discussion on Sunday to discuss the corona situation, Modi had assured Baghel that he will consider his request to allow the use of oxygen in Chhattisgarh in 80:20 (medical and industrial) ratio. Baghel spoke over the telephone with Goyal over the issue and was asked by the Minister to send a proposal. In a letter, the Chief Minister said the total daily oxygen production capacity of various units in Chhattisgarh is 462 tonnes. Under normal circumstances, oxygen is supplied to the steel makers in the state by the oxygen manufacturers. But due to corona cases, the Centre has banned the industrial use of oxygen. The Chief Minister mentioned that oxygen producing units are suffering due to lack of demand for oxygen while the steel making units in the state are shut due to lack of oxygen.

Keeping this in view, the steel makers should be allowed the use of 20 percent quantity of oxygen produced in the state, he said. If the demand for additional medical oxygen arises, the supply of oxygen to the steel units may be stopped immediately, he added.