COVID-19 surge: NLCIL to set up nine oxygen plants

Orders placed for 500 oxygen concentrators, says CMD Rakesh Kumar

With a view to augment the supply of medical oxygen, Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) NLC India Ltd. (NLCIL) is in the process of setting up nine Pressure Swing Adsorption Medical Oxygen Plants at its project sites, including Neyveli and Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, and sites across the country.

Tenders have been floated for the plants and once the process is completed, they will be set up within a month.

The move is in line with the direction of the Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi to PSUs under its fold to set up oxygen plants to meet the rise in demand for medical oxygen in hospitals across the country.

“Initially, NLCIL has planned to set up nine plants with capacity of 12 NM3/hour to 30 NM3/hour based on the requirement at different locations. Two plants of 12 NM3/hour capacity costing ₹25 to ₹30 lakhs will be installed at the NLCIL Hospital in Neyveli while three plants of 30 NM3/hour capacity costing ₹65 lakhs to ₹70 lakhs each will be installed in Chennai. The plants in Chennai will be installed in Government General Hospitals identified by the State government,” Rakesh Kumar, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the NLCIL, told The Hindu.

The NLCIL will also be setting up three oxygen plants each in Rajasthan and through its subsidiary Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Limited in Uttar Pradesh.

The Navaratna undertaking has business operations in Neyveli and Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand and in a small way in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The plants will be funded through the PSU’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme for the fiscal 2021-22.

Mr. Kumar, who is directly monitoring the Hospitals in the company keeping in view the pandemic situation, has deputed Sh. Sathyamurthy, Chief General Manager (HR), as incharge of the Hospital Administration.

Bed capacity increased

A number of initiatives have been taken on a war footing with the new team. The NLCIL had augmented its COVID-19 bed capacity in its hospital and other places in Township in Neyveli from 90 to 500 beds (200 in the hospital itself).

The PSU had commenced Hospital Operations at Ghatampur in Uttar Pradesh within a week’s time with the combined team of L&T, GE and BGR.

A 70-bedded hospital is in operation now and additional 200 beds have been arranged for COVID-19 Care Centres in the nearby buildings.

“NLCIL is also in the process of placing orders for purchase of 500 Medical Oxygen Concentrators of 10 LPM capacity each. Tenders have already been floated and we will finalise the bidder in a week’s time. The oxygen concentrators will also be sent to States, including Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, based on the requirement,” Mr. Kumar said.

The PSU has also initiated steps on a war footing for setting up CT scan facility at its hospital in Neyveli. The facility will be set up in one-and-a-half month’s time and will be used for not only employees but also people from the surrounding peripheral villages.

Dr. Santhalakshmi, GS Medical (I/C), and Dr. C Dharini Mouli, Resident Medical Officer, have been working with the team of doctors to strengthen the management of hospitals in the company and guided to prepare Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for various critical activities.

24-hour control room

A 24-hour control room has been set up in the hospital to attend to the emergencies. The NLCIL is also working on starting shortly online medical consultation for its employees who can get medical advice from their homes.

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