Industrial bodies in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad have urged the state government to restore the supply of oxygen for industrial uses as the demand for medical oxygen has dipped significantly in the district. For want of the regular oxygen supply, the sector has faced constraints about their operations in the last two months.
The surge in demand for medical oxygen had seen the government cranking up production and diverting the same from industrial usage. The gas is used mainly for welding and other industrial purposes, especially in the automobile sector. Given the predominance of auto and auto ancillaries in the district, the diversion has hit them hard.
In a memorandum submitted to the deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, the Pimpri Chinchwad Small Scale Industries Association stated that of the 11,000-12,000 small and medium scale industries in the area, around 5,000-6,000 require oxygen for their day to day activities. Since the start of the second wave in April, oxygen supply to the industrial sector has been stopped.
Sandeep Belsare, president of the Association, said since the second week of May, the need for medical oxygen has dipped. “As oxygen is not being diverted for industrial purposes, around 30-40 per cent of the gas produced remains unsold. In want of demand, the oxygen generation units at Chimbli and Ranjangaon remain closed. The combined capacity of both these plants is 1,500 cylinders. Belsare said Pawar has asked the Pune collector to calculate the unused stock left from these two plants after meeting the requirement of other districts in the state.
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Meanwhile, the 14th survey conducted by the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) about industrial activities in the district showed activities have remained flat for May. On an average, companies said that around 70 per cent of their workforce was working which was the same in April.
