Daijiworld Media Network - Kaup (SP)

Kaup, Apr 26: With the steep escalation in the number of people suffering from COVID19, oxygen shortage is experienced everywhere. To efficiently handle this demand, the first ever oxygen refilling plant of Udupi district has come up at Belapu, Kaup taluk. S M Cryogenics has set up this plant at Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board's industrial area with the purpose of supplying industrial and medical oxygen cylinders. If liquid oxygen reaches the plant as per the current plans, the plant will begin to supply oxygen cylinders within a couple of days.

Currently hospitals in Udupi district as well as industries are dependent on three oxygen units functioning in Baikampady and Karnad. Once the Belapu unit starts functioning, dependency on other districts will come down.

The refilling plant will get liquid oxygen from Bengaluru and Torangal near Ballari. The plant will store 20,000 cubic metres of liquid oxygen at -180 degree and refill the cylinders after processing the same into gas. The plant will cater to the oxygen requirements of over 40 private and government hospitals located at Udupi, Manipal, Kundapur, Brahmavar, Karkala and other places. Head of the firm, Nataraj, said that the plant at Belapu will be able to provide oxygen with less transport charges and within a short time.

Additional deputy commissioner of the district, Sadashiva Prabhu, said that all needed licences and permissions have been issued for the first oxygen refilling unit at Belapu and it will be able to start functioning early; He said that the plant will enable the district to handle emergencies quickly.