E-Paper
K’taka districts put on alert for possible Oxygen shortage
Bengaluru: An emergency notice on a possible drop in oxygen supply on May 25 and 26 was issued to all districts and Bengaluru city administration on Monday after two liquid oxygen production plants in Bellary district stopped functioning due to technical problems
Bengaluru: An emergency notice on a possible drop in oxygen supply on May 25 and 26 was issued to all districts and Bengaluru city administration on Monday after two liquid oxygen production plants in Bellary district stopped functioning due to technical problems.
According to the Karnataka government, the production trouble at the two plants -- Air Water India and Praxair -- could possibly result in a shortfall of 220 metric tonnes of oxygen per day. The notice directed all districts to use the available lifesaving gas judiciously as a 20% shortfall in supply is expected on both the dates.
“There is a crisis in oxygen availability as 220 tonnes production has reduced in Bellary due to production problems. It is likely to stabilise by Wednesday morning. Therefore, for the next 2 days, there is likely to be a reduction of 20% supply per day to all districts. Manage your oxygen usage carefully. Inform all hospitals and refillers” the notice read.
The government, however, claimed that they have enough gas to mitigate the situation. “We have the issue due to tripping of plants. But we have done our best to minimise the impact, and everyone is in complete coordination to handle the situation. There is no need to panic. We have adequate buffer quantum to meet the situation,” Munish Moudgil, state nodal officer for oxygen supply, said.
While the Centre’s daily oxygen allocation for Karnataka is 1,051 metric tonnes, the supply on ground is only around 885 metric tonnes, Moudgil added.
“We are getting special supplies. These are not regular allotments but sporadic arrivals. Today (Monday), about 150 metric tonnes (were) brought by Linde. 109 metric tonnes came yesterday (Sunday) and were sent by Reliance Foundation. Like this, randomly, special allotments come and we are able to manage. Another 115 metric tonnes are coming tomorrow (Tuesday) from the government of India,” he said.
“We are like a family who does not have a stable firm income beyond 765 metric tonnes and get sporadic help from different quarters daily to reach 850 metric tonnes,” Moudgil explained.
As per data released by the state government, the oxygen consumption in the state stood at 822 metric tonnes on May 21 and 885 metric tonnes on May 22. Bengaluru alone consumed 308 metric tonnes and 340 metric tonnes of oxygen on these two days.
“We had not done detailed accounting of oxygen consumption in BBMP as it is a mammoth exercise. All extra coming has been going to them. Now we did (an audit) along with BBMP and found a firmer figure (on oxygen consumption). And in BBMP, the consumption hasn’t reduced much despite the reduction in caseload from about 2.4 lakh to about 1.2 lakh. This is because ICU and ICU + ventilator beds have not come down in Bengaluru and that is the main reason for not much reduction in oxygen consumption in BBMP,” Moudgil said.
Among other high oxygen-consuming districts, Mysuru consumed 54.8 metric tonnes and 55.9 metric tonnes on May 21 and May 22, respectively, followed by Ballari, which consumed 40.15 metric tonnes and 41.26 metric tonnes, and Dharwad that consumed 31.96 metric tonnes and 57.08 metric tonnes.
Moudgil added that the government of India had increased the oxygen allotment to Karnataka to 1,200 metric tonnes and it is likely to become effective in a day or two (after May 25). “However, a good part of it was allotted from Maharashtra. Lifting that isn’t going to be easy,” he added.
On May 7, the Supreme Court had turned down the Centre’s plea to stay the Karnataka high court order directing it to immediately increase the supply of medical oxygen to the state from 962 metric tonnes per day to 1,200 metric tonnes per day in view of the spike in the number of active Covid-19 cases.
On May 5, while hearing a public interest litigation, the high court had noted that the projected requirement of oxygen in Karnataka was 1,471 metric tonnes per day as of April 30, whereas the Centre had agreed to enhance it from 862 metric tonnes to only 962 MT per day. It also recorded a statement of Karnataka’s additional chief secretary that the requirement of oxygen in the state was likely to go up to 1,792 metric tonnes by May 5.
The high court then directed the Karnataka government to submit a representation to the Union government while ordering that till this representation was considered, the Centre will supply 1,200 metric tonnes of oxygen per day to the state.
