Chandigarh: The Western Command of the Indian Army on Monday has offered help to the Punjab Government to revive defunct Oxygen plants.

Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has sought Army help in the war-like Covid situation.

Responding to Chief Minister, the Western Command of the Indian Army has assured all possible help, including medical staff and medically trained combatants, to Punjab to meet the exigent shortage in hospital, along with support in reviving the state’s old Oxygen plants that are currently lying defunct.

Lt Gen RP Singh, Western Command, at a virtual meeting of the Chief Minister with senior Command officials, also offered to provide staff to run the 100-bed Covid facility proposed to be set up in the building loaned to the state government by CSIR for the purpose. 

Technical and specialist cover will be provided by the Command Centre, Lt Gen Singh told the Chief Minister, adding that 15 trained nurses had already been sent to Patiala to support the civic staff. Further, experts will be sent to visit the defunct Oxygen plants at existing industrial units to assess their status and extend whatever support needed for their restoration.