BHOPAL: Govindpura Industries Association (GIA) has written a letter to Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) administration to supply oxygen for industrial use. The state government has ordered to use all oxygen for treating Covid patients. This has pushed many industries on verge of closure in Govindpura and Mandideep. There are 1,100 units in Govindpura and 600 units in Mandideep where 40,000 employees work.
Association president Amerjit Singh said a letter seeking oxygen supply has been mailed to BHEL executive director. “After holding meetings at all level, we mailed BHEL administration to get supply of oxygen today (Wednesday). BHEL has oxygen plant and if BHEL administration agrees for it, industrial units in Govindpura and Mandideep will start functioning. We are waiting for response from BHEL side.”
Earlier, GIA members met state medical education minister Vishwas Sarang and MSME minister Om Prakash Saklecha to press for their demands. They had staged road blockade at Raisen Road to meet their demands.
BHEL doesn’t sell oxygen
BHEL public relations officer Raghvendra Shukla said BHEL produces oxygen in gaseous form for instant use specially wielding. “We store oxygen in gaseous state in big tanks. BHEL never produces oxygen at commercial scale for sale to others. So far, BHEL has not sold oxygen to other units,” he said.
