Maharashtra requests Centre to reinforce state’s medical oxygen quota by at the least 200 MT

Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte has written to Union Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba requesting that the state’s allotted quota of liquid medical oxygen is elevated by at the least 200 MT. Kunte said that Covid instances are constantly rising in 16 districts and there’s a rising demand for oxygen.
In his letter dated May 3, Kunte highlighted that at current there are 6,63,758 lively Covid instances within the state, with 78,884 sufferers requiring medical oxygen, together with 24,787 who’re in ICUs.

Moreover, in 16 districts — Palghar, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Solapur, Nandurbar, Beed, Parbhani, Hingoli, Amravati, Buldhana, Wardha, Gadchiroli and Chandrapur — the variety of Covid instances and the demand for oxygen is on the rise, he added.

“I assure you that we are taking oxygen audit in every district to contain demand in every possible manner. However, considering this situation of rising medical oxygen demand, I request you that present allocation of the State be enhanced by at least 200 MT,” stated Kunte.
He additionally prompt that the allocation needs to be elevated in places from which it’s simpler to move the oxygen. “This allocation may be enhanced at locations convenient to the State. Otherwise earlier allocation from RINL (Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited), Vizag and Jindal Steel Plant, Angul, Odisha remains on paper only,” he wrote.

“My request is to enhance allocation from Jamnagar, Gujarat from current 125 MT/Day to 225 MT/Day. Similarly, allocation from Bhilai may be increased to 230 MT from current 130 MT. These geographically close locations will reduce turnaround time of oxygen tankers, which are limited in number,” Kunte added.
On Friday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, in his deal with to the state, had stated that Maharashtra’s oxygen manufacturing capability is 1,270 MT, which incorporates main and small producers. Besides, the state is getting 100 MT every from Gujrat, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh. Although the Centre has fastened a quota of 1,814 MT of oxygen for the state, round 1,650 MT of oxygen is being made obtainable to Maharashtra, CM had stated.

Kunte additional stated that additionally it is learnt that the union authorities is getting ISO tankers from Singapore, Dubai and different places overseas, apart from oil firms to facilitate liquid medical oxygen transport. “I request you to allocate at least 10 LMO tankers to Maharashtra to enable us lifting of GoI allocated LMO quota from Steel Plant at Angul via RoRo,” he said.