Industries are closing down fast due to non-availability of oxygen in Madhya Pradesh. Most of the oxygen is being used for treatment of corona patients and not much of it is left for industrial use.
Industries in Govindpura industrial have been badly affected due to non-availability of oxygen. Many industries have closed down in last 15 days in Mandideep.
Govindpura Industries Association president Amarjit Singh said industrial units are closing down because of non-availability of oxygen. “We need only 10 per cent oxygen supply for normal functioning of industries. 25,000 people work in 1100 units in Govindpura and 15,000 work in 600 units in Mandideep. In all, 40,000 employees work in factories. Because of non-availability of oxygen, factories are closing. These employees will be jobless. During pandemic, we disbursed one month’s salary to our employees but we now have to run production units,” Singh added.
The state produces only 50 tons of oxygen for industrial use, which is now used for medical purpose. In fact, the state depends for oxygen supply on Gujarat and Chhattisgarh. Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) supplies 50 tons to Madhya Pradesh on central government’s intervention.
A delegation called on minister for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) Om Prakash Saklecha but it did not yield results in favour of industries. Thousands of employees will be affected in pandemic time if industries stop working, delegation members told minister.
