Prayagraj: The employees of the public-sector company, Bharat Pumps and Compressor Limited (BPCL), are faced with an unprecedented situation. When they were busy working day and night to complete the order of making 2,500 oxygen cylinders, all the 140 employees received a mail instructing them to get retired by May 17.
As per the decision of the central government on May 9, 2020, BPCL was closed. The 140 employees were asked to opt for voluntary separation scheme (VSS), failing which, the order said, they would be shown the door without being given any monitory benefits.
However, as the entire state witnessed a dearth of oxygen cylinders in the ongoing second wave of Covid-19, the district administration took a timely decision. A proposal was sent to the state government mentioning that BPCL, given its expertise and infrastructure, should be allowed to manufacture the oxygen cylinders.