When going gets tough .. the tough gets going ……!!!!

How India managed the ten-fold Medical Oxygen demand for in one month…!!!

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a defining global health crisis of our time and probably the greatest challenge the entire mankind would have ever faced.

The COVID-19 pandemic began its onslaught in India in the month of March 2020. The 1st wave peaked in the month of September 2020 with 1 million active cases. In the month of February 2021, the active case count came down to 136K.

 

Beginning March 2021, the country witnessed the 2nd wave with an unprecedented and steep growth trajectory in number of daily cases. In a span of one month daily new cases went up from 12K to 400K, a jump of 33 times in a short span of 30 days.

As you all are aware, Medical Oxygen has been an extremely critical element in the treatment and recovery of patients infected with COVID-19.

As on today third week May 2021, in India, more than 900K people are on Medical Oxygen support, and it is further increasing.

COVID and Medical Oxygen Industry in India

India has a total Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) production capacity of 7200 (Tons Per Day) TPD being produced from 70 manufacturing locations, also called Air Separation Units (ASUs) spread across the country. The eastern region of the country has a fairly greater presence of these ASUs.

The current oxygen situation is characterized by a geographical mismatch in demand and supplies of LMO. While the Northern parts of India produce barely 13% of the country’s oxygen, it has been consuming 26% of the country’s total available oxygen. This is been substantiated by the 35% production capabilities of Eastern India, which requires only 10% of the total oxygen available in the country to treat its COVID patients.

In order to balance this mismatch, initiatives like Roll-On Roll-Off Oxygen Express Train and Air Lifting of empty cryogenic tankers to reduce one-way travel time by 2 days which would have taken 10 to 11 days otherwise travelling from East/West to North.

One way empty tankers and return by Oxygen Express..!!

 

Over the past one month beginning April 2021, the LMO production has been increased from 7200 TPD to 9300 TPD, 30 % increase in production in one month, which has broken the Global benchmark...

 

As a nation, India had 1171 LMO Tankers available for distribution. In only one months’ time, India has added 509 more Tanker to the total fleet to ease the stress on the distribution infrastructure to cater to the unusual increase in medical oxygen demand.

The addition of these 509 tankers has been made possible by the import of 101 tankers and conversion of 408 Cryogenic Nitrogen and Argon tankers to Oxygen tankers.

Bottlenecks of Hospital Infrastructure

It’s important to take a note that, with the increased number of COVID-19 cases, every Hospital has increased the number of Beds, ventilators and its associated infrastructure.

But the Medical storage capacities and associated equipment configuration were done based on pre-COVID consumption.

With less storage and increased consumption, these tanks which used to get filled once in 4 day now needed 3 fills in a day. Safety stock of medical oxygen went down to less than 8 hrs there by increasing the number of SOS calls.

 

No one questioned why the hospital didn’t the Hospitals augmented their medical oxygen storage in past so many years….!!!!

 

What we went through…!!!

We went through an unimaginable stressful time, we didn’t had time to react and look back. We were given a task of which we didn’t have time to plan and understand, we just did it.

 

We moved 2,50,000 MT of medical oxygen pan India just in one month..!!!

It's an unfathomable journey of hard work done to supply medical oxygen to the entire Nation, from 900 MT per day to 9000 MT per day, 10 times more done everyday in the entire 2nd wave.

It’s a miracle..!!!

We feel very sad about the loss of lives…but that’s the nature of the disease in this pandemic.

We are preparing for the next wave now...!!

Life Lessons – Changing Priorities – Future Survival Strategies – Covid19 Pandemic…!!!

Mankind is evolving out of the current situation.

As an anxious individual as we wait for reassurance and stability, we are more worried about the disruption of Covid19 and its impact.

People are producing content while it is at home – humour, particularly memes on WFH  ( Work from home/work for home) are helping to lighten the mood.

What is more prominent that each one of us have learned lessons of life, and our priorities have started to change for now and forever.

# LockDown …. Deciphered a new life, we never lived before…

We learn to live with less

More family time leading to co-sharing of household activities leading newer dynamics in family life…no one will get this opportunity ever..!!!

Work from home....which was infrequently believed to be ineffective by many employers... has broken all the delusion...WFH is going to be the new Corporate paradigm...

Time to build new desire towards our own health, climate, living beings and environment, which will save the homo sapiens from mass extinction..

Investments and insurance are more important than vacation and expensive purchases…

Doctors and Medical Professionals are the new Heros – not the Celebrities

Increase in compassion towards the deprived and needy class in the society…who are often ignored…

Decisions are circumstantial and may not be perfect all the times,… so respect as given the opportunity no one make a perfect.

😃 Given an opportunity Police can beat anyone...#frustration 

And eventually when all this over and we return to life, there would be a lot of disruptions in terms of changes in behaviour (buying and spending pattern), which will decisively lead to a newer World…

To be continued….as it's still in making….

Cheers!!!!!

Utakala Divas - A Day to reverberate Glory of our Great Motherland....Odisha..

Bande Utkala Janani – ( Glory to Maa Utkala !!)

On April 1, 1936, Odisha became a separate province, after a long struggle of over three centuries. The formation of Orissa province under the British rule, separated from Bengal and Bihar, marked the beginning of a new journey for the state.

Odisha Day, also known as Utkal Divas and Utkala Dibasa, is celebrated on April 1 every year in memory of all the struggle that went into gaining a separate political identity for the state that was once part of Kalinga ruled by emperor Ashok, and later by Kharavela, remembered as a conqueror and the champion of Jainism, before Mughals invaded and wrested it.

Utkala Dibasa: History and significance

According to historians, Orissa was originally inhabited by tribes that lived in its hills and plains. Later, it became part of Kalinga, the ancient kingdom that Magadh King Ashoka invaded in 261 BC to expand Mauryan rule. The ‘Great Kalinga War’ famous for the bloodblath it saw was eventually won by Ashoka, though he could not enjoy his victory and soon embraced Buddhism.

Apart from the Great Kalinga War, recorded history had few references of the kingdom until King Kharavela’s rule began. In fact, Kalinga under Kharavela had managed to avenge the Maurya invasion by defeating Magadh. Historians say Kharavela, besides being known for establishing Kalinga as a mighty political state of India, is also credited with laying the foundation for Orissa’s fame as a land of art, architecture and sculpture.

Gajapati Mukunda Deva was the last Hindu King of Odisha, who was defeated by the Mughals in 1576. In 1803, the British took over the reins of the state, dividing it into several administrative units. The northern and western districts became part of Bengal Presidency. Later, the coastal region was made into the Province of Bihar and Orissa.

Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das founded a Odia social and cultural organisation named Utkal Sammilani in 1903 to unite all Odia. A revolution was started by them which continued for three decades under the leadership of Utkala Gouraba Madhusudan Das, Utkala Mani Gopabandhu Das, Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati, Pandita Nilakantha Das, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Gangadhar Meher, Basudeba Sudhaladeba, Radhanath Ray, Bhubanananda Das, A. P. Patro and many others with the support of the public.

Finally, British gave up and accepted Odisha as a province of India ruled by them. It was 1st April 1936 when Odisha entered in state list of INDIA with 6 districts only. Now we got 30 districts.

Unfortunately, he (Utkala Gouraba Madhusudan Das) passed away on 1934, 2 years before he could witness his dream.

The state’s name was changed from Orissa to Odisha on 24 March, 2011, after Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, gave its nod to the Orissa (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2010 and the Constitution (113th Amendment) Bill. The Lok Sabha, the lower house, had passed the bill and the amendment to change the name of the state from Orissa to Odisha, and that of its language from Oriya to Odia, on November 9, 2010.

Why Odisha - what we should know ?? why should we be proud off ??

Odisha has surprises at every corners..which the world is yet to explore

What you get only in Odisha ?

Olive Ridley Nest at Arribada, Gahirmatha Beach, Rusikulya – The only place in India where they come every year

                               

  

Odisha Pegion Post Service – One of the last surviving Pegion Maling Service – Angul & Cuttack

    Lasgest costal lagoon – Chilika and second largest in World

    Sambalpuri Hadndloom – Hand Woven Sarees and Dress material

   Irrawaddy dolphin ( rare species)  found in Bharmhagiri, Chilika Lake

Pattachitra - A traditional painting done on palm leaves

Top tourist attractions

    Shree Jagannath Dham – Among one of the four Dhams in India

Asia’s Largest Earthen Dam – Hirakud

     

     Konark Sun Temple, Puri – World Heritage Site

  Daringhbadi – Kashmir of Odisha

Jirang – Odisha’s little Tibet

Unique Odia Cuisnes

 Pakhala - Pakhala is rice which is fermented overnight with water and consumed with an assortment  of fried vegetables and fish.

Dalma - Dalma is dal (lentil) cooked with an assortment of vegetables and spices.

Dahibara Aloodum

 Pitha - Pitha is essentially cereal based steamed cake. It’s the food for any occasion from the perspective of an Odia household. The dish has many variants and much sought after amongst them are ChakuliPitha, PodaPitha, Monda etc.

Rasagulla – Not Rosogolla….( We Odia’s call it Kheer Mohan to be precise ) 

Chena Poda – Roasted Sweet Cottage Cheese

     Kora Khai

The list will go unending....i may have missed few more important things...pardon me for it

I have tried to capture a few things for all of you to reverbate the Glory of our Great Motherland..

Be a Proud Odia...!!!

Bande Utkala Janani... Echo it Loud and Loud

Jai Jagannath...!!

Happy Utkala Divas

*Courtsey – Odish Tourism, My City Links and multiple sites. 

Dahi Bara Aloodum - A double bliss

Yum Yum....Lip smacking....Savory....Dahi Bara ...Aloodum.....

It's a delectable gastronomy that combines two separate dishes together...Dahi Bara ...and ....Aloodum

The delicacy has been exuded through generations with a lot of childhood nostalgia. and now is one of the highlight of odia cusine that has a cult following.

For me, i can have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.....:)

Like me there are a lot of people in Odisha who have a insatiable appetite for this delicacy

It is combination of Bara soaked in thin curd/buttermilk and aloo dum, a gravy of slow cooked potatoes. Served in bowl made of khalli patra, vadas are placed at the bottom and then topped with the thick aloodum gravy. Finally it is topped with Ghugni (white peas curry), coriander, chopped onion and bhujia sev.  Almost a perfect meal with carb from the potatoes, protein from the vada made from lentils and probiotic from the buttermilk.

The origin of Dahi Bara Aloodum is not well known but the trails of this legendary delicacy began from Cuttack which is still alive in the streets and alleys of that beautiful city. Over the years the cultural influence has played a pivotal role is developing the taste of Dahi Bara Aloodum over years.

For instance the the exclusive taste of Dahi Bara Aloodum in Cuttack has never replicated outside the city. Even within the city of Cuttack there are lot of variations of the delicacy which can't be veiled

• Raghu - Only Dahi Bara & Aloodum with some chilli spices 

• Ishwara- Dahi Bara, Sweet Dahi Bara, Aloodum, Ghugni, chopped onion, coriander and a lot of other good add ons

• Trinath - Dahi Bara & Aloodum that tastes like mutton gravy

Click on the links on the names above to try them when you are in Cuttack next. There may be few other places that serve better, just that i haven't explored all of them.

By blending the Dahi Bara with Aloodum, people of Odisha have blended Gastronomy with Culture which is double bliss.

Few of the social media activist took an initiative to celebrate 1st March as a day to celebrate Dahi Bara Aloodum Dibas, so lets join hands and keep the juggernaut rolling.

Happy Dahi Bara Aloodum Divas to all of you