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30% jump in demand in May so far, Punjab on verge of oxygen crisis
Allocation of 227MT fails to keep pace with rising demand, Capt urges PM to increase quota to 300 MT
With a sharp spike in Covid-19 cases in the past two weeks, Punjab is on the verge of an oxygen crisis.
The rising trajectory of coronavirus cases has led to a jump of more than 30% in demand of the life-saving resource, depleting its oxygen reserve to an all-time low of 10 to 12 hours during the devastating second wave of the pandemic. The oxygen allocation, which stands at 227 metric tonne (MT), has failed to keep pace with the rising demand despite repeated requests to the central government which has been flooded with similar requests from other states as the number of new infections is also at an all-time high in the country.
Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who has repeatedly requested the central government to increase its oxygen allocation, on Sunday again urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to increase Punjab’s total oxygen quota to 300 MT in view of the growing caseload of critically ill coronavirus patients. “The oxygen demand has risen by more than 60 MT in the past eight days whereas our allocation has only increased by 10 MT. We have been managing so far by enhancing efficiency and dipping into reserve. If the patient load does not plateau and the increase does not keep pace, we are headed for tough times,” Ajoy Sharma, in-charge of Punjab’s Covid control room, said.
Of the total allocation of 227 MT, 195 MT is from other states, including 90 MT from Bokaro, 15 MT from Roorkee, 10 MT from Dehradun, 20 MT from Panipat and 60 MT from Barotiwala and there lies another problem. The state authorities have not been able to lift their entire allocated quota, particularly from Bokaro, for want of tankers of lifting and distribution of oxygen.
The state government had on its own arranged 21 tankers for lifting and distribution of oxygen, excluding tankers bound by contractual obligations of the plants from adjacent states that make direct supply to some hospitals, but needed more. A request was made to the central government to supply at least 20 tankers and two were given through Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL). “Against a total requirement of 36 tankers at present, only 20 are available, leaving a shortfall of 16 tankers, particularly needed to lift liquid medical oxygen from Bokaro,” according to officials.
They said the state government has also called immediate attention to the need for immediate resolution of logistical issues, tankers and IAF sorties and for lifting the allocated Bokaro stock. “We have increased the number of tankers to Bokaro from two to four, but need more as turnaround time is four days,” said Sharma. The state team, which has requested for at least two sorties daily, held a virtual meeting on Sunday morning with IAF officials to review the situation and is also trying to explore train options. Also, the Centre has been requested to make oxygen allocation to the state from nearby sources and not from far off states.
