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Amit Shah tells states to treat vehicles carrying oxygen like ambulances
Amit Shah's review meet comes at a time when several states and UTs across the country, especially Delhi, are reporting an acute scarcity of oxygen for Covid-19 patients.
Union home minister Amit Shah reviewed the state of oxygen availability on Friday as many states have been reporting its shortage amid rising cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). In a letter to all states and Union territories, the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) told them to make provisions for exclusive corridors for transportation of oxygen tankers. “MHA has written to all States and UTs...to provide adequate security to oxygen transporting vehicles and to make provisions for exclusive corridors for such transportation, treating these vehicles like ambulances,” the home ministry said in a statement.
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The move comes at a time when several states and UTs across the country, especially Delhi, are reporting an acute scarcity of oxygen for Covid-19 patients. Social media is flooded with posts seeking help for patients whose oxygen levels are dropping and they are unable to find beds with oxygen in hospitals.
The home ministry also said that following the April 18 order diverting oxygen for industrial use for Covid-19 patients, the supply of medical oxygen has gone up. “Steps are being taken to further reduce consumption of industrial oxygen by industries, which will augment the supply of oxygen for medical purpose,” it added.
Amit Shah’s ministry also told states to direct district collectors, deputy Commissioners to list all the plants situated in their district, in which different types of oxygen are generated, along with the installed capacity. The states were also asked to take action to revive the oxygen plants that are lying closed. “These efforts will ensure ready availability of oxygen at the district level, besides supply of medical oxygen from usual channels,” the ministry said.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual meeting with chief ministers of 11 worst-affected states and told them to ensure there are no barriers in the transportation of oxygen tankers. “He urged the states to check hoarding and black marketing of oxygen and medicines. The PM said that every state should ensure that no oxygen tanker, whether it is meant for any state, is stopped or gets stranded,” his office said in a statement.
The Prime Minister also urged all states to work collectively in the battle against the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and assured that if the nation battles as a collective power, there won’t be any scarcity of resources.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) is importing 23 mobile oxygen generation plants from Germany, which will arrive within a week, to address the oxygen crisis, people familiar with the development told HT.
