Citing the increasing demand for oxygen in Tamil Nadu given the number of people testing positive for COVID-19, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday evening wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking the latter’s intervention in revising orders to provide oxygen support to Tamil Nadu. He also requested the Centre to provide at least 20 ISO cryogenic containers and trains to transport oxygen to the State.
In his first letter to the Prime Minister after assuming office as the Chief Minister, Mr. Stalin drew Mr. Modi’s attention to the crisis in Tamil Nadu over the availability of medical oxygen. While Tamil Nadu’s daily consumption of medical oxygen was around 440 MT and it was projected to increase by another 400 MT in two weeks, the National Oxygen Plan had allocated just 220 MT to the State.
“Since this is untenable, our officers were in discussion with officials of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on May 1 and 2, and it was agreed that at least 476 MT of medical oxygen would be provided to the State immediately. However, this order has not been issued yet, creating supply constraints to hospitals,” Mr. Stalin said.
During an emergency meeting of officials of the DPIIT with Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala on May 6 over the sharply dwindling stock of liquid oxygen in Tamil Nadu, it was agreed that 40 MTs would be allocated to Tamil Nadu from INOX, Kanjikode (Kerala), for at least four days. It was also decided that 60 MTs from Praxair, Sriperumbudur (Linde Saint Gobain), would be allocated.
It was also decided that medium-term requirements would be met and 120 MTs would be provided from SAIL and Linde, Rourkela. The revised allotment orders were still awaited, he said.
“The availability of oxygen in Tamil Nadu is critical and there was an unfortunate incident of 13 deaths in Chengalpattu two days ago. We request your kind intervention to get the revised orders issued, and provide full support to Tamil Nadu in this hour of crisis,” he said.
He requested the Centre to provide at least 20 ISO cryogenic containers and trains to transport oxygen to Tamil Nadu. “I would like to assure you my full support and cooperation to your unstinted efforts to tackle this unprecedented pandemic,” he added.
