Covid-19: India in talks with UAE, Singapore to import oxygen tankers

New Delhi - The government also directed states to revive closed oxygen plants for augmenting its production.

With several states flagging scarcity of medical oxygen amid a surge in Covid-19 infections, the government is in talks for the import of high-capacity oxygen-carrying tankers from Singapore and the UAE and directed states to revive closed oxygen plants for augmenting its production.

The move came after Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the coronavirus situation in the country on Friday, a home ministry statement said. In separate letters, the Union government asked all states to prepare a list of oxygen producers in their respective jurisdiction and directed them to ensure uninterrupted supply and transport of oxygen in the places where there is a demand.

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With a view to make available additional tankers for movement of oxygen, the Union Home Ministry is coordinating lifting of high-capacity tankers from abroad, including Singapore and the UAE, by Indian Air Force transport planes, the statement said. In the review meeting, the Home Minister suggested various measures to augment the supply of oxygen for medical purposes.

A Home Ministry expert group is also optimising and rationalising the allocation of oxygen to various states and union territories keeping in view the active cases and to reduce time for movement of medical oxygen, the statement said.

The statement said Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla asked all states and union territories to ensure adequate security to oxygen transporting vehicles and to make provisions for exclusive corridors for transportation, treating these vehicles like ambulances. The Home Ministry is also facilitating movement of medical oxygen across the country following an approved allocation plan.

The Indian Air Force has started transporting empty tankers after delivery of oxygen to destination state and union territory to oxygen producing locations to reduce movement time.

In his letter, Bhalla told Chief Secretaries that oxygen generating plants are available in many districts of the country, not necessarily for medical purposes and these facilities can be used for supplying oxygen to local hospitals.

"I would like to request you to have all such facilities mapped immediately. For this, District Collectors or Deputy Commissioners should be asked to list all the plants in which different types of oxygen is generated, including the ones that can be bottled in cylinders, along with the installed capacity," he said.

Bhalla said in case some of the plants are closed, those should also be listed and necessary action should be taken for their revival. He said these efforts will ensure easy availability of oxygen at the district level, besides supply of medical oxygen from usual channels.