The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
ANGUL, JUNE 1, 2021
Union Minister Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday dedicated a 270-bed COVID Care Centre at Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL) Plant Angul, in presence of Odisha Health & Family Welfare Minister Naba Kisore Das and JSPL Chairman Naveen Jindal.
Sambalpur MP Nitesh Ganga Deb, Chhendipada MLA Susanta Kumar Behera, Angul Collector Siddhartha Shankar Swain, Angul SP Jagmohan Meena, JSPL Managing Director VR Sharma, JSPL Angul Executive Director Hridayeshwar Jha and other senior officials were also present on the occasion.
The COVID Care Centre is equipped with 270 oxygen supported beds, which includes 10 non-invasive ventilation beds and five ICU beds with ventilators.
Inaugurating the COVID Care Centre, Union Minister Pradhan appreciated JSPL’s support to the government in fighting the COVID-19 global pandemic. He appreciated JSPL Chairman Naveen Jindal for his leadership in supplying the lifesaving liquid medical oxygen to various hospitals across the country. He highly appreciated the facilities created in the COVID Care Centre by JSPL for the people of Angul.
The Minister further said that JSPL’s vision to build the largest Steel Plant of the world of 25 MTPA at Angul by 2030 would certainly fructify the aspiration of the local youths for sustainable livelihood and improve the quality of life of the people in the region.
Odisha Health & Family Welfare Minister Naba Kisore Das also thanked JSPL for its efforts to extend life support oxygen, medical treatment and livelihood support for the local community to fight the global pandemic.
Notably, JSPL is the first mega industrial house in Odisha to build a fully equipped facility at its own premises for the treatment of COVID-19 affected persons.
Speaking at the opening of the COVID Care Centre, JSPL Chairman Naveen Jindal said: “JSPL has always stood with people at the time of need. For JSPL, it is always ‘Nation First’. As a responsible corporate citizen, we at JSPL always respond to the people’s need on time especially during the calamities and pandemics. I hope this COVID Care Centre will efficiently serve the needs of people of Angul and support the government in fighting the global pandemic.”
The JSPL Chairman thanked Union Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Odisha Health Minister Naba Kisore Das for their kind gesture of physically coming to JSPL Township for the inauguration of the Covid Care Centre.
JSPL Managing Director VR Sharma presented detailed information about of the existing and upcoming facilities in the COVID Care Centre; and hoped that with the effective partnership with the local community and the Government, JSPL would be able to nullify the pandemic-induced human misery. “We are highly inspired by our Company’s Chairman Sri Naveen Jindal for his passion for People,” added Sharma.
VR Sharma informed that the Company plans to expand the capacity of the COVID Care Centre to 400 beds by July 2021. Local community members can avail of the facility that provides free COVID-19 testing, isolation centre, Ambulance services, medical treatment with free medicines, food as well as counselling services. A dedicated team of doctors and paramedics are engaged to provide round-the-clock service in the Centre.
JSPL and its social arm JSPL Foundation have been working relentlessly to support the government and community in minimizing the pandemic-induced human misery. The steelmaker has been providing liquid medical oxygen (LMO) from its oxygen plant at Angul and other locations to various hospitals across the country. Every day about 100 tonnes of LMO are being dispatched.
JSPL Foundation has been focusing on delivering various emergency services for communities during the pandemic.
Under ‘Mission Zero Hunger’, out of 6.5 lakh meals served nationwide to the needy and underprivileged during the pandemic, the JSPL Foundation has provided about three lakh meals, cooked and dry, to the needy, poor and the vulnerable in Angul itself. The Foundation also distributes sanitizers, and face masks stitched by the Women SHG members supported by the Foundation.
Local villages and public utility areas are also sanitised by the Foundation. Besides, the Foundation has also taken up a massive awareness drive to sensitise the community on the prevention of COVID-19.
