Kathmandu, 19 May : Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) has tested the production of oxygen gas cylinder for the first time in Nepal. A new cylinder has been tested to test the spread of the covid-19 epidemic and the lack of oxygen cylinders. Minister for Education Krishna Gopal Shrestha inaugurated the test by observing the product Tuesday .

Minister Shrestha said that the government would take serious measures to fill the shortage of zeolite used to make oxygen after getting information about the condition of producing cylinders. He was committed to the government’s full support in that endeavor. Minister Shrestha said that it was ironic that there was no oxygen production plant in the big hospital.

As soon as the test is successful, Nepal will now allow various companies to produce pressure-proof linders. Head of the Faculty of Technology, Dr. Rabindra Dhakal said that they will now discuss with the manufacturing company and allow commercial production. According to him, the minimum price of a cylinder found in Nepal will be around Rs 15,000 while a cylinder using waste technology will cost less than Rs 10,000. Minister Shrestha, who arrived at headquarters in Lalitpur to observe the test, thanked the team including Dr. Sunil Babu Shrestha, Vice-Chancellor of NAST and scientist Shankar Dhakal.

The gas pressure in the gas cylinder up to 225 bar is safe. During the test, when the gas pressure reached 235 bar, there was a general problem in the pipe connected to the cylinder.
The Vice Chancellor of NAST, Dr. Shrestha said that NAST had prepared a mobile van to test the swab and handed it over to all the three security agencies. Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Sanjay Sharma, said that the technology sector would make a big leap with the implementation of science and innovative policies.