Centre increases oxygen allocation for Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: Two days after Tamil Nadu pushed the panic button, and told Madras high court that liquid medical oxygen stock in the state would last only till Saturday, the Centre increased the allocation to 419 metric tonnes from 220 metric tonnes.
The increase comes a day after Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin wrote to the Centre highlighting the issue. He also had a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.
On Thursday, Tamil Nadu health department, besides senior counsel P Wilson, told Madras high court that the state would run out of supply by Saturday if the Centre does not increase the allotment. Through the day, the health and industries department were diverting industrial oxygen to medium-sized hospitals.
However, a letter from National Health Mission director Sanjay Roy said the allocation from Inox Sriperambadur -- the sole supplier for Covid-19 hotspot Chennai – would be increased by 50metric tonnes a day from 140 metric tonnes. JSW Salem allocation proposed to increase allocation to 15metric tonnes a day from 10 metric tonnes a day. National Oxygen Erode allocation will be increased by 8 metric tonnes to 38 metric tonnes, and allocation from Sicgilsol gases Pvt ltd (Thanjavur) will be increased by four metric tonnes to 44 metric tonnes. The state has also been allowed to draw 4 more metric tonnes from Inox Puducherry of up to 44 metric tonnes.
While for the next four days 35MT from Linde St Gobain will go to Andhra Pradesh until they make other arrangements, Tamil Nadu's share will increase to 60MT from 20MT after four days. In addition, 52 MT from MSMUs and 20 MT will be incorporated in the allocation plan. TN will swap the allotment of 20MT of oxygen from Air water Bellary Supply with AP. The letter also said "40MT is proposed to be allocated for Tamil Nadu from INOX Kozikhode for the next our days as
A transition measure, this quantity is to be replenished to the storage capacity of the plant by Tamil Nadu later, thereby helping build the storage at the Kozikhode point for use in times of need.