Amit Shah Reviews COVID-19 Situation Amid Sharp Rise in Cases, Directs Measures To Augment the Supply of Oxygen

New Delhi, April 23: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has reviewed the situation arising out of the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in the country and given directions for various measures to augment the supply of oxygen for medical purposes.

Accordingly, an expert group is optimizing and rationalising the allocation of oxygen to various states and UTs, keeping in view the active cases and to reduce time for movement of medical oxygen. India Reports Over 3 Lakh New COVID-19 Cases for Second Consecutive Day; IAF Airlifts Empty Oxygen Containers to Filling Stations.

The Home Ministry is also coordinating lifting of high capacity tankers from abroad to make available additional tankers for movement of oxygen. The Home Ministry had issued an order on April 22 under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, directing the states and UTs to take various measures to ensure uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen across the country.

The ministry wrote to all states and UTs today to ensure compliance with this order and to provide adequate security to oxygen-transporting vehicles and make provisions for exclusive corridors for such transportation, treating these vehicles like ambulances.

A Home Ministry release said on Friday that the central government has prohibited supply of oxygen for industrial purposes, except those for few essential sectors through an order on April 18.

It said this has resulted in significant augmentation of supply of medical oxygen. "Steps are being taken to further reduce consumption of industrial oxygen by industries, which will augment the supply of oxygen for medical purpose," the release said.

The ministry has also written to states and UTs to direct district collectors to list all the plants situated in their district in which different types of oxygen is generated along with the installed capacity.

"They should also take action to revive those plants, which are lying closed. These efforts will ensure ready availability of oxygen at the district level, besides supply of medical oxygen from usual channels," the release said.

It said that the Indian Air Force has started transporting empty tankers after delivery of oxygen to destination state or union territory to oxygen producing locations to reduce movement time.

"With a view to make available additional tankers for movement of oxygen, MHA is coordinating lifting of high capacity tankers from abroad, such as Singapore and UAE by Indian Air Force transport planes," the release said. The Railways is running special trains carrying oxygen tankers across the country for faster movement.

The release said that the Home Ministry and Health Ministry are in regular touch with the states and UTs for promoting optimal use of medical oxygen and undertake periodic audits to ensure there is no wastage of medical oxygen and essential medicines.

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