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Explained: Can states block oxygen supply? Why surplus producer India faces crisis?
Explained: Can states block oxygen supply? Why surplus producer India faces crisis?
Amid the shortage of oxygen supply, some state governments have blocked tankers from reaching other states where several hospitals ran out of their oxygen stock. But can states do that in a bid to mitigate the shortage? Read on to know.
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UPDATED: April 22, 2021 14:02 IST
Workers fill cylinders with medical oxygen at a plant in Amravati amid nationwide surge in Covid-19 cases. (Image for representation: PTI)
The short supply of oxygen is hurting the fight against Covid-19 in the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic across several states. At least two high courts had to intervene to restore the supply of medical oxygen to the affected states Maharashtra and Delhi.
In the last two weeks the issue of shortage of medical oxygen, an essential item for treatment of severe cases of Covid-19, has been a major issue with Maharashtra being the worst hit state. Is.
By Rob Cockerill, Global Managing Editor2021-04-19T09:49:00+01:00
News has emerged in the last few hours that new restrictions are to be implemented in India to manage the application of oxygen supply and prioritise use for medical purposes, as the country continues to grapple with Covid-19.
Several states across India are understood to be flagging oxygen shortages as Covid cases surge, with the government announcing that oxygen supply will now be restricted to just nine industries.
From later this week (Thursday 22
nd), industrial oxygen supply will be restricted to those entities involved in refilling cylinders, the pharma sector, steel plants, oil refineries, wastewater treatment, food and water treatment, nuclear energy facilities and continuous production sites that must keep processes running.
The demand for medical oxygen has jumped manifold amid the second wave of Covid, according to industry players who said it much sought-after since the start of the pandemic last year. According to industry figures, the pre-Covid demand for liquid medical oxygen (LMO) before the pandemic was 700 tonne per day (TPD) across the country. During the first wave of Covid-19 last year, the demand for LMO increased four times to 2,800 TPD. Further, with the second wave, the demand has gone up more than seven times the pre-Covid levels 5,000 TPD. “While we hope that the spike in cases is arrested, the success of oxygen therapy in Covid treatment means that there will be sustained demand for liquid medical oxygen in the months to come,” said Siddharth Jain, director, INOX Air Products. His company is meeting more than 60 per cent of the total medical oxygen demand in the country.