A day after the Dhanbad district administration instructed industrial unit owners to provide oxygen cylinders to the district, altogether seven units on Sunday arranged for 65 cylinders.

The initiative was undertaken by the Jharkhand Industries and Trade Association, (JITA), an association of industrial unit owners of Dhanbad and adjoining areas.

Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner, Uma Shankar Singh, in a notice issued on Saturday directed industrial units engaged in fabrication work to provide B type and D type oxygen cylinders to district administration and specifically instructed the three industries - M/s Blue Flame Industries Pvt Ltd, Nirsa, M/s Anup Malleable Pvt Ltd, Govindpur and Hindustan Malleable and Forging Pvt Ltd, Jalan Nagar (Bhuli) - to provide all available cylinders to Sadar Hospital of Dhanbad.

General Secretary of Jharkhand Industries and Trade Association, Rajiv Sharma, said, “We also suggest the district administration to ensure the return of the cylinder to the respective units after completion of its usage as the cumulative cost of the 65 cylinders is 7.80 lakh which has been provided to the industries as advance money.”

“We, at the same time would also like the district administration to create a oxygen bank facility at the district for which we are ready to extend all support,” said Sharma and added that they would also like to draw the attention of the district administration to create a green corridor to ensure the hassle free transport of oxygen cylinders to different government and private hospitals.

The deputy commissioner also held an online meeting with the top officials of industrial units like BCCL, Tata Steel, GAIL Gas Limited, Steel Authority of India Limited, ECL, Damodar Valley Corporation, Maithon Power Limited, Hindustan Urvarak and Rasayan Limited (HURL), Indian Medical Association, Builder Association, Chemist and Druggist Association, Rotary Club, Lions Club etc and sought for procuring more resources like ambulance facility for transporting patients to hospitals; kit for Covid test, beds in hospitals, ventilators, RAT kits, and establishment of oxygen plants.

The district administration is planning to establish an oxygen plant at Sadar Hospital of Dhanbad. A 100 bed Covid ward has been set up at Sadar Hospital including a 60 bed ICU facility.