TN demands Centre stop oxygen diversion
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu on Sunday clashed with the central government over the diversion of medical oxygen to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana from its plant at Sriperumbudur near here.
Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy wrote to the Union government that the 80 Metric Tonnes of medical oxygen going to the neighbouring states as per the Centre’s orders should remain in Tamil Nadu itself as Covid cases are on the rise here.
The INOX plant produces 140 MT medical oxygen per day in Sriperumbudur. “If such high quantity is diverted, it will cause major crises in Chennai and other districts,” the CM warned.
The consumption of medical oxygen in Tamil Nadu will soon outgrow its current supply, he pointed out, arguing that the excess availability that the Centre sees in the state is a wrong assessment.
“We will need 450 metric tonnes shortly, which is beyond our production capacity of 400,” he asserted.
He said the 220 metric tonnes of oxygen that the Centre has marked for Tamil Nadu is far below its requirement.
Tamil Nadu receives liquid oxygen from the INOX plant in Kerala. The Inox plant supplies an average 55-60 metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen every day to hospitals in nearby districts in Tamil Nadu.
The health department, meanwhile, said 5.251 million people have been vaccinated in the state so far. Besides, the rush for vaccines has increased.
As per the data released on Saturday, as many as 45,09,694 people have received Covishield, while 7,42,126 got Covaxin from government facilities.
The state, meanwhile, is further tightening restrictions prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic from Monday, shuting down shopping malls, cinema halls, gyms, convention halls, bars, and recreation centres.
All religious places will be shut for the public. Temple staff are allowed to conduct daily rituals without leting in the public.
The fresh curbs are imposed as daily cases got closer to 14,000.
Vegetable and grocery shops are allowed except in commercial complexes.
However, the government said big departmental stores can operate without air-conditioning. Spas, salons, beauty parlours etc will be shut from Monday.