PANAJI
The Goa government has told the Bombay High Court at Goa that nine Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) plants have been set up at various hospitals in Goa and are operational and the supply of oxygen to the State is adequate.
Hearing the matter related to Covid management in the state, the Bombay High Court at Goa has accepted the statement bade by the Advocate General but warned that “an effective care should be taken to ensure that the PSA plants are functional, so that there are no issues about supply of Oxygen in the Government hospitals.”
Presently, there are nine PSA plants installed in the Public Health Services in the State of Goa. All nine PSA plants are presently functional, except at SDH Chicalim. The PSA plant at Chicalim is commissioned and there are 25 Oxygen ports (beds) presently available, out of the total capacity of 70 Oxygen ports (beds). The work to connect the remaining oxygen ports (beds) is in progress and the same will be completed very soon,” the Advocate General Devidas Pangam told the court.
Earlier, Adv Nikhil Pai representing the South Goa Advocates Association pointed to the minutes of the meeting of the state task force in which it was noted that seven out of eight PSA Oxygen plants are not functional due to non-availability of pressure gauge.
This is a serious matter because the pandemic is still on and the supply of oxygen if and when necessary is a serious issue,” he said.
Adv Pai again by referring to the Minutes of the State Task Force Meeting, pointed out that there is an issue of Liquefied Medical Oxygen (LMO) storage because of non-payment of dues to the suppliers. He submitted that if this issue persists and the LMO storage facilities continue to be non- functional, this would again result in the precious lives being lost.
The Advocate General submitted that the payments have already been made and the LMO storage facility is functional. He submits that necessary instructions have been issued to ensure that there is adequate supply of Oxygen at the LMO storage facilities and further, that such facilities are functional, a statement that was accepted by the High Court.
The matter has now been posted for March 7.
