COVID-19: Maharashtra Chief secy Sitaram Kunte writes to Centre demanding more oxygen supply

Maharashtra chief secretary Sitaram Kunte has sent a letter to Union Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba demanding that the Union government supply 200 metric tonnes of extra oxygen to Maharashtra. As the number of patients is increasing in 16 districts, oxygen is also needed.

“At least 10 of these tankers should be made available to Maharashtra so that it will be easier to bring liquid oxygen from Angul in Odisha through Roro service," the chief secretary said in the letter.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had instructed the Chief Secretary to make a demand to the Centre for increase in supply of liquid medical oxygen oxygen. Oxygen availability planning at RINL, Vizag and Jindal Steel in Odisha, which were earlier scheduled, is on paper.

At present, 125 metric tonnes of oxygen is being supplied daily from Jamnagar in Gujarat, which should be increased by 100 metric tonnes to 225 metric tonnes per day and 230 metric tonnes from Bhilai, the chief secretary said.

The central government has received ISO tankers from oil producers in Singapore, Dubai and other countries for transporting liquid oxygen. The Chief Secretary also said in the letter that ten of these tankers should be made available to Maharashtra.