Belgavi: Karnataka government is considering the option to allow sugar mills to produce oxygen to meet its shortage for treating Covid-19 infected patients.
Speaking to reporters, Murugesh Nirani, minister for mines and geology said that the government will convene a meeting of officers and sugar mill managers to consider the option of producing oxygen.
This follows the experiment in Maharashtra where one mill in Osmanabad is producing 20 tonnes of oxygen by modifying some equipment. Once succeeded, the experiment could be launched at other sugar mills in the state to produce oxygen. This will help in meeting the shortage of oxygen supply to treat Covid-19 patients.
“We have learnt that the sugar mills having ethanol production capacity can produce oxygen and we are exploring the possibility,” he said.
According to the news report published in Thehindu.com, he said, “I request the sugar mills to come forward and start oxygen manufacturing as a commitment towards society. It may take four to six months and might be helpful for us during the third wave.”
