Based on a request from the State administration, specialist teams from Naval Dockyard Visakhapatnam (NDV) jointly completed repairs and audit of Oxygen Distribution Systems and Generation Plants.
Working in close coordination with the State government Authorities for the past one month, six naval teams covered several far-flung places in the State visiting government hospitals at 12 cities, including Nellore, Tirupati, Guntur, Ongole, Rajamahendravaram, Anantapur, Vijaywada, Kakinada and Kadappa. This included visits to 15 major hospitals and four industries with Oxygen Generation Plants.
The specialist teams undertook a thorough inspection of the systems and worked out solutions with the local administration. In several places, the teams worked on live systems by using techniques used on ships/submarines. This ensured that there was no interruption in oxygen supply to patients. Teams also demonstrated and set up the portable Multifeed Oxygen Manifold developed by NDV which can be easily manufactured by the local industry.
The synergy between NDV teams and local authorities was best demonstrated while operationalising the Cryogenic Oxygen Generation Plant at Sri Krishna Teja Air Products, Nellore, which was not functioning since 2012. The team stayed on site for a week to run the plant and generate oxygen, thus giving a major boost to the State’s capacity.
The NDV personnel undertook work at VSPA plant at Srikalahasti to make the oxygen fit for medical purposes. The Navy has also set up the Oxygen on Wheels facility at Palasa in Srikakulam district paving the way for oxygenated beds at a COVID Care Centre.
