Based on a request from Andhra Pradesh 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 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, Rajahmundry, Anantapur, Vijaywada, Kakinada, and Kadappa. This included a visit to 15 major hospitals and four industries with oxygen generation plants.
The specialist teams undertook a thorough inspection of the existing oxygen distribution systems and worked out solutions with local administration. In several places, these 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 made easily manufactured by 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 that was not functioning since 2012. The yard team stayed on site for a week to run the plant and generate oxygen, thus giving a major boost to the state’s oxygen-producing capacity. On similar lines, NDV personnel undertook work at VSPA plant Srikalahasti, Tirupati handing over critical data for qualifying the oxygen fit for medical purposes. The Navy has also set up the ‘Oxygen on Wheels’ facility at Palasa in Srikakulam paving the way for oxygenated beds at a Covid Care Centre.
