Centre boosts TN oxygen share on Stalin’s request
CHENNAI: The Union government has increased Tamil Nadu’s daily quota of oxygen supply to 419 metric tonnes, in a swit response to a request made by Chief Minister M K Stalin directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The move came amid the largest single-day spike of Covid-19 cases that the state witnessed within 24 hours: 27,397.
Tamil Nadu was receiving 220 metric tonnes (MT) of oxygen from the Centre. But a review held by Stalin soon ater taking office on Friday found that the state needs 440 MT daily.
He immediately wrote to Modi, seeking an increase of the allocation to 500 MT.
That was his first official communication, in which he flagged the “severe crisis” that the state is facing. Subsequently, Stalin also spoke to Modi on the phone.
He pointed out that 13 people had died in Chengalpatu two days ago due to oxygen shortage.
“Give full support to Tamil Nadu in this difficult situation and take appropriate action to get a revised order on oxygen availability,” he wrote.
On Saturday, National Health Mission Director Sanjay Roy wrote to Tamil Nadu that the enhanced allocations will come into effect from May 11, “giving sufficient time to the states for the transition.” The INOX company supply from its plant in Sriperumbudur near Chennai is 50MT daily. That has been raised to 140 MT.
Telangana, to which INOX used to supply 40 MT per day has told the Centre it can afford to concede that to Tamil Nadu.
The state has a daily production capacity of 400 MT oxygen in the private sector. Much of this is sold outside, even as Tamil Nadu buys from other states also.
Medical and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramaniam said on Sunday that the government is readying 12,500 beds with oxygen lines on a war footing. These beds will be ready by May 15.
He spoke to the media at the Stanley Medical College, where he inspected the oxygen facility.
“The 200-year-old Stanley medical college hospital in Chennai will get an additional 750 beds from Monday,” he said.
Also on Friday, Stalin had inspected the Corona Special Treatment Centre at the Nandambakkam Business Centre in Chennai. He has ordered that the Unified Command Centre (UCC) in the capital be converted as a Covid war room.
This will be a single nodal point for all Covid-19 related control activities in the state.