India continues to fight the devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The crematoriums are overwhelmed amid the crippling shortage of oxygen across several states. According to the Indian Embassy, Bhutan will supply liquid oxygen to India from a new plant set up at the Motanga Industrial Estate in Samdrup Jongkhar.
Motanga-based SD Cryogenic Gases Private Limited is a Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) company with a domestic investment of 51% by M/s SD Cryogenics and an FDI component of 49% from Meghalaya Oxygen Private Limited, an Assam based Indian Company.
The construction works for the production plant began in 2019 and was supposed to be complete last year. But the COVID-19 pandemic affected its completion. However, it is expected to be ready in a few weeks. Once complete, it will produce 40 tonnes of liquid oxygen daily which will be exported to Assam using cryogenic tankers.
According to the Indian Embassy, the provision of oxygen by Bhutan will augment India’s efforts to win the fight against COVID-19 and save lives.
Assam’s Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the state government has made arrangements to import oxygen from neighbouring Bhutan.
“Regarding oxygen, we have moved ahead. There is a new oxygen plant being set up in Bhutan. Today, we have made arrangements to procure oxygen from there,” added the Minister.
Meanwhile, many have turned to the black market, where prices of essential medicines, oxygen cylinders and concentrators have skyrocketed and questionable drugs are now increasing in numbers amid the pandemic.
The reason for the exorbitant prices is the massive shortage and supply of oxygen. The government of India has instructed the oxygen production plant to ramp up.
As of today, the overall number of Covid cases in India has reached 17.6 million with almost 198 thousand succumbing to the virus.
Kinzang Lhadon
