Willing to touch Centre’s feet for oxygen supply, says Maharashtra health minister

With hospitals still turning away patients owing to shortage of oxygen supply, Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said he was in touch with the Central government to solve the problem, and was even willing to “touch their feet”

With hospitals still turning away patients owing to shortage of oxygen supply, Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said he was in touch with the Central government to solve the problem, and was even willing to “touch their feet”.

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“We want the Centre to facilitate a green corridor to provide a safe transport system for our oxygen supply. We are making a humble request to the Central government and are ready to even touch their feet. We urge the Centre to provide a maximum supply of oxygen to Maharashtra,” said Tope.

Mumbai is currently receiving 235 metric tonnes (MT) of oxygen, although its daily requirement is 300 MT; Nagpur is getting 155 MT daily, despite its need of 180 MT; Pune needs 375 MT, but can garner just 300 MT daily; while Nashik, which needs 125 MT, gets just 85 MT daily. As of now, the state requires 1,500 metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen daily, against its production capacity of 1,250 MT. The state is procuring 300 MT from other states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Chhattisgarh. The government has requested the Centre to increase the Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) supply from other states to 500 MT daily. It is also expecting 105 MT oxygen by way of Oxygen Express train from Vishakhapatnam.

There are reports that many Covid patients who are unable to get oxygen beds are now procuring oxygen cylinders at home as a temporary measure. To deal with the shortage, the state is considering using oxygen being produced at steel and thermal power plants. Tope said that Covid-19 centres can be built near the four thermal plants of Parli, Paras, Koradi and Khaparkheda and oxygen supply can be made by connecting a pipeline.