In the wake of the second wave of the pandemic, the Indian automotive industry (the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers and the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association) has said it is working to support the government in the fight against the pandemic.
Augmenting availability of oxygen for medical use: SIAM and ACMA said many manufacturers have halted production in units to ramp-up the supply of oxygen for medical purposes. “The industry has donated over 2,030 oxygen cylinders, 4,404 oxygen concentrators, and 27 oxygen generating plants have been installed at various locations,” they said in a statement. “The industry has tied up with PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) plant manufacturers to scale up their capacities for producing oxygen by 20 times.”
Strengthening healthcare infrastructure and hygiene: SIAM and ACMA said some of their members have set up permanent hospitals and temporary medical care facilities. “Over 4,475 hospital beds have been added across the country in the past few weeks. The industry has also supplied more than 35 mobile units and created about 20 Covid-19 relief camps to augment healthcare infrastructure.”
Rajesh Menon, the director-general of SIAM said that even as the government is leading from the front, “we continue to support them in the best possible manner.” Vinnie Mehta, director-general, ACMA, added, “It’s heartening to note that the industry has taken several measures to support and strengthen the medical and healthcare infrastructure by donating medical equipment, oxygen concentrators & cylinders, hospital beds, and setting up of hospitals and oxygen relief camps, among other initiatives.”
