Maruti Suzuki is shutting down its manufacturing units in Haryana and Gujarat to fulfil the increased demand for oxygen across the country, the country's largest carmaker said.
Battling Covid-19, thousands of Indians are currently in dire need of oxygen. Maruti Suzuki uses a small amount of oxygen in its manufacturing facilities, as part of the production process while much larger quantities are produced by the manufacturers of components.
In a press release, Maruti Suzuki said that all available oxygen should be used to save lives in the current situation. The automaker has decided to take its annual maintenance shutdown from the earlier plan of June to May 1-9. The firm said that it is committed to supporting the government in diverting oxygen for saving lives.
Currently, India is faced with the second wave of Covid-19 which is way deadlier and scarier than the first one, according to official data sources. On Wednesday (April 28), India recorded over three lakh new Covid-19 cases for the seventh straight. Meanwhile, The total number of fatalities has crossed the 2,00,000 mark.
Besides Maruti Suzuki, several other private firms have stepped up in the fight against Covid-19. ITC, Reliance and Tata Steel have also announced their plans on how they are going to supply tonnes of oxygen to hospitals across the country.
State-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is also utilising its facilities to make up for the oxygen shortage in India. Among startups, Zomato’s not-for-profit arm Feeding India and CRED have also joined the battle against the pandemic.
#mute
