Covid-19: How govt is tackling oxygen crisis as cases continue to soar | India News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: A sharp rise in Covid-19 cases and deaths in the country has led shortage of hospital beds and medical-grade oxygen.
The government has ramped up its efforts to get oxygen to hospitals using Oxygen Express, air force planes and trucks to transport tankers as fresh cases once again touched a new peak of 3.49 lakh in a single day.

Govt bars use of liquid oxygen for non-medical purposes
The Centre, in order to ease the oxygen supply situation at hospitals treating Covid patients, decided on Sunday to restrict the use of liquid oxygen, including all the existing stock, to only medical purposes with immediate effect.
“No exception is allowed to any industry with regard to use of liquid oxygen,” stated the order issued by home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, who is also chairman of the national executive committee, under the Disaster Management Act 2005.
551 oxygen generation plants to be set up across India through PM Cares
The Centre on Sunday cleared the allocation of funds for installation of 551 dedicated Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) medical oxygen generation plants to be set up inside public health facilities across the country. The funds will come through PM Cares.
This comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s direction to boost the availability of oxygen to hospitals amid a surge in Covid cases in the country as India battles an oxygen crisis.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in a statement said that PM Cares Fund has given in-principle approval for allocation of funds for installation of these oxygen plants.
Railways to deliver more than 140 MT liquid oxygen in next 24 hours
Indian Railways is going to deliver more than 140 MT liquid oxygen in next 24 hrs. Currently, 9 tankers are already on the run, out of which 5 will reach Lucknow by tonight and remaining 4 containers of LMO which have already started from Bokaro are expected to reach Lucknow tomorrow early.

So far, Oxygen Express have run between Mumbai to Vizag via Nagpur to Nashik and Lucknow to Bokaro and back. A total of 10 containers having nearly 150 tonnes of liquid Oxygen have been carried so far.
Currently, 9 tankers are already on the go, out of which 5 will reach Lucknow by tonight and remaining 4 containers of LMO which have already started from Bokaro are expected to reach Lucknow tonight.
Navy deploys ‘Oxygen Express’ to island territories
The Navy on Sunday kicked off an “Oxygen Express” ferry to the country’s island territories, with a warship being dispatched from Kochi to Lakshadweep with oxygen cylinders and medical supplies.

Patrol vessel INS Sharda transported 35 oxygen cylinders, rapid antigen detection test kits, personal protective equipment, masks and other equipment to Kavaratti.
Oxygen Express with 70 tonnes of oxygen to reach Delhi by Monday night: Railways
The first Oxygen Express train for Delhi carrying around 70 tonnes of the life-saving gas will depart from Jindal Steel Works plant in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh on Sunday night, a senior official said.
The train, with four tankers, will reach Delhi by Monday night, Railway Board Chairman Suneet Sharma said.
The railways has chalked out plans to transport medical oxygen from Angul, Kalingnagar, Rourkela and Raigarh to Delhi and NCR region, Sharma said, adding the Delhi government has been advised to get road tankers ready to obtain the oxygen.
Hundreds of oxygen concentrators, ventilators on its way to India, says UK govt
The United Kingdom government on Sunday said it will send vital medical equipment to India to support the country’s fight against Covid-19. The assistance package, funded by the foreign, commonwealth & development office, includes ventilators and oxygen concentrators from surplus stocks.
The assistance package, funded by the foreign, commonwealth & development office, includes ventilators and oxygen concentrators from surplus stocks.
“Vital medical equipment, including hundreds of oxygen concentrators and ventilators, is now on its way from the UK to India to support efforts to prevent the tragic loss of life from this terrible virus.
“We will continue to work closely with the Indian government during this difficult time and I’m determined to make sure that the UK does everything it can to support the international community in the global fight against pandemic.”
500-oxygen bed ITBP Covid centre to start in Delhi on Monday
A 500-oxygen bed Covid care centre operated by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in south Delhi will open on Monday as coronavirus cases register a sharp rise in the national capital, officials said on Sunday.

The treatment at this centre will be free of cost, they said.
“The Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel COVID Care Centre (SPCCC) will start functioning from 10 am on April 26. No walk-in admissions will be made,” ITBP spokesperson Vivek Kumar Pandey said.
Air India to bring 600 oxygen concentrators from US in next 2 days for private entities
Air India will bring around 600 oxygen concentrators on its two US-India flights in the next two days, aviation industry sources said on Sunday.
These oxygen concentrators have been ordered by private entities, the sources mentioned. Sources said Air India plans to bring around 10,000 oxygen concentrators for private entities in the coming weeks.
When asked about this matter, Air India spokesperson said the airline is prepared to shoulder the responsibility of carrying oxygen concentrators or any consignment into India.
Govt asks major ports to waive all charges for ships carrying oxygen, related equipment
The government on Sunday said it has directed all major ports to waive all charges for ships carrying oxygen and related equipment amid a massive surge in coronavirus infections across the country.
In a statement, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said it has directed all major ports to accord the highest priority in the berthing sequence to the vessels carrying consignments of medical grade oxygen, oxygen tanks, oxygen bottles, portable oxygen generators and oxygen concentrators.
“In view of the excessive requirement of oxygen and related equipment in the country, the Government of India has directed all major ports, including the Kamarajar Port Limited, to waive off all charges levied by major port trusts (including vessel-related charges, storage charges, etc.),” the statement said.
(With agency inputs)

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