The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has handed over 75 cylinders to the Delhi government and another 40 will be given to the ITBP-run Covid care centre in the city.

Each of these oxygen cylinders has a capacity of 10,000 litres and is expected to the aid the growing demand of oxygen in Delhi as it witnesses a massive Covid surge.

“DRDO has handed over 75 cylinders to the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of NCT of Delhi, yesterday, 29th April 2021. Forty oxygen cylinders of the same capacity are being handed over to Cabinet Secretariat officials today, 30th April 2021, for utilisation at Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre at Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB), Chhatarpur, New Delhi,” the DRDO has said.

Delhi has been hit hard with the acute oxygen shortage as hospitals run out of supplies, triggering panic across the city.

The oxygen cylinders supplied by DRDO are high pressure seamless cylinders certified by Bureau of Indian Standards and approved by PESO (Petroleum & Explosives Safety Organization), Government of India, which have been specially airlifted from Vadodara.

To meet the urgent requirement of oxygen in various parts of the country, DRDO is arranging big cylinders to fulfil the requirements of different hospitals. Efforts are being made to arrange many more such cylinders for different hospitals, DRDO said.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will set up 500 oxygen plants under the PM Cares Fund within 3 months to augment oxygen supply across the country in wake of the Covid surge that is expected to further peak in the days to come.

Some of these will be installed at four Delhi hospitals and AIIMS Jhajjhar by May 10.

The Medical Oxygen Plant (MOP) technology developed by DRDO for OnBoard Oxygen Generation for India’s indigenous fighter jet, Light Combat Aircraft Tejas will also be used in these oxygen plants.

The oxygen plant is designed to produce 1,000 litres per minute and the system caters to 190 patients at a flow rate of 5 litres per minute and can charge 195 cylinders per day, the DRDO said.

Hospitals will be able to generate on-site medical oxygen, in a cost-effective manner with this oxygen plant rather than depending upon sourcing it from other places.