Centralised oxygen supply plan ready for 19 states, Union Territories

Over 70 plants from Bhilai, Rourkela, Jamnagar, Nagpur, Durgapur, Bellary, Hospet, Tanjore and Panipat have been mobilised to rush medical oxygen to states facing massive shortage after the surge in Covid-19 patients experiencing breathlessness.

In consultations with states and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, an empowered group of secretaries has mapped out oxygen sources and supply network for Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, faced with Covid-19 resurgence.

Delhi which had a daily demand of 420 tonnes was allocated 480 tonnes on Wednesday but with the demand going up, a plan to supply it 700 tonnes daily is ready. The supply will come from Air Liquide Panipat, Linde Selaqui, Kalinganagar and Rourkela, SAIL Durgapur, Air Liquide Roorkee, India Glycols Kashipur, Goyal MG Gases Ghaziabad, Inox Modinagar, Surajnagar, Bhiwadi and Barotiwala.

The panel projects a huge demand in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana too. UP has been allocated 753 tonnes daily but the supply chain is being worked to meet a target of 800 tonnes. In Haryana, the current liquid oxygen allocation is 162 tonnes but the Centre is preparing to supply 180 tonnes daily to meet expected increase in demand.

Maharashtra requires 1661 tonnes daily, Gujarat 975, MP 543, Andhra 440 and Telangana 360. Inox and Linde groups, through their units spread out in the country are the major oxygen suppliers here. Linde Taloja and Murbad will supply 245 tonnes and 175 tonnes, respectively, to Maharashtra while the Inox group will supply 470 tonnes. Reliance Jamnagar is also a key supplier sending 400, 125 and 60 tonnes to Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, respectively.

Sunday’s assessment had said demand had reached 60% of total oxygen produced and it was expected to rise. The total medical oxygen produced daily in the last week of February was 1,273 tonnes and it was ramped up to 6,042 tonnes by Tuesday.