Govindpura Industries Association (GIA), which is on verge of closure due to non-supply of oxygen, has started approaching other states for the supply at its own level after the state government turned its back on them.
On Saturday, a delegation of GIA called on collector Avinash Lawania seeking minimum supply of oxygen for industries, however, they returned disappointed as the collector failed to give any assurance.
Earlier, GIA delegates called on minister of MSME Om Prakash Saklecha and medical education minister Vishwas Sarang but none of the ministers came in support of industrialists. The GIA members even staged a road block at NH-12 (Raisen Road), however it did not yield any desired results. GIA president Amarjet Singh said, “ Earlier we had met with ministers but our meeting did not yield any positive result. Today, we called collector Avinash Lawania but there also we have been told “no” about oxygen supply. So now we have started approaching other states for oxygen cylinders to run the factories.”
We need at least minimum requirement of oxygen, to run our units, said Singh, adding that “there are 1100 units and 25000 employees are in Govindpura and similarly, 600 units are in Mandideep with 15000 employees working in different units”.
Madhya Pradesh facing shortage of oxygen cylinders for medical use in wake of increasing Covid-19 cases had ‘prohibited’ supply of oxygen to industries and directed that it be used for medical purpose only; though the government has exempted some industries, but they are numbered.
Government itself is arranging oxygen cylinders from other states for medical use for corona patients and thus supply for industrial purposes has been temporarily put on hold.
Seeing no help coming from the government and within the state, the industrialists are now looking beyond the borders for the oxygen supply to continue their unit running. Sources, said that a few industrialists are managing oxygen cylinder from Mandideep but at very high rates (five times more). They are spending money to meet the orders pending due to non-supply of oxygen.
