Andhra Pradesh: 2 empty oxygen tankers airlifted to Odisha

Amaravati: Special officer for Covid Care Centres M T Krishna Babu said that Andhra Pradesh is getting 170 metric tonnes of oxygen per day from RINL and total of around 250 MT daily from the plants available in the state.

Krishna Babu said balance oxygen supplies are from Bellary, Chennai and Angul in Odisha. Even though AP was allotted 100 MT from Odisha the state is not able to get full quantity as tankers take three-and-a-half days per one way trip. In view of this, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy requested the Centre to send Air Force cargo flight to airlift oxygen tankers to Odisha. As per the request, one cargo flight landed at Vijayawada airport on Saturday.

Krishna Babu said that they sent two oxygen tankers with a capacity of 45 MT on Saturday on a trial basis. He said green channel would be provided for the return journey of loaded oxygen tankers from Odisha. Oxygen tankers will be airlifted regularly from Sunday.

The special officer said 470 MT of oxygen was allotted to AP. The state government has been supplying oxygen to 20,000 patients both in state and private hospitals.