Nation Gasps For Oxygen
People wait in their cars for a drive through Covid testing, as coronavirus cases surge in Ahmedabad on Thursday
New Delhi: Amid the oxygen crises in Covid-19 hospitals across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday directed the officials concerned to ensure that oxygen is supplied to various States and Union Territories (UTs) in a smooth and unhindered manner.
The Prime Minister said that there is a need to fix responsibility with the local administration in cases of obstruction. He also stressed that the States should come down heavily on hoarding.
The directives were issued during a high-level meeting led by the Prime Minister to review oxygen supply across the country and discuss ways and means to boost its availability.
He was briefed on the efforts undertaken in the last few weeks to improve the supply of oxygen.
He was informed that an elaborate exercise is being carried out in coordination with the states to identify their demand for oxygen and ensure adequate supply accordingly.
He was briefed on how oxygen supply to States is steadily increasing. Against the present demand from 20 States of 6,785 MT a day of liquid medical oxygen, the Government of India has from April 21 allocated 6,822 MT a day to these States, the Prime Minister was briefed.
It was noted that in the last few days, availability of liquid medical oxygen has been increased by about 3,300 MT a day with contributions from private and public steel plants, industries, oxygen manufacturers as well as through prohibition of supply of oxygen for non-essential industries. The officials informed Modi that they are working together with the States to operationalise the sanctioned pressure swing adsorption oxygen plants as soon as possible. Continued on Page 7