COVID-19: Odisha supplies surplus oxygen to different states

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], April 25 (ANI): Amid an acute shortage of medical oxygen in several parts of the country, Odisha is sending the surplus liquid medical oxygen (LMO) to many states.

Odisha’s Industry Secretary Hemant Sharma told ANI that the total production capacity of LMO in the state has now been enhanced to 350 tonnes per day through five plants across states.

“Last week our capacity was 300 tonnes per day. Now it has gone up to 350 tonnes. We will increase it by 15 tonnes more by tomorrow evening,” Sharma said.

“The production capacity can be enhanced up to 500 tonnes per day in the state but these additional volumes can be made available by curtailing industry's consumption," the Industry Secretary said.

The state government is in continuous touch with industries to ramp up the oxygen production in Odisha.

The Odisha government is trying to start oxygen production in two more plants -- Adhunik’s plant in Sundargarh and a central government plant in Kalingnagar.

“The state government has established a protocol to address the oxygen requirement from state or through central government and currently five plants in the state have been tagged with the state-wise requirements, Telangana and Andhara Pradesh have been tagged with Kalinganagar, Delhi has been tagged with Rourkela, Maharashtra has been tagged with Anugul,” Sharma added. 

Bihar has also requested the state for LMO, which is under process.

He further said that Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are regularly lifting 40 tonnes of oxygen.

“The internal consumption of LMO in the state is 35 tonnes per day and we keep35 tonnes in reserve. As long as our own supply is not affected we will be supplying it to other states,” he added.

As of April 25 by 12 PM, a total of 49 tankers and containers carrying  869 MT medical oxygen dispatched so far from Rourkela, Kalinganagar (Jajpur), Dhenkanal and Angul.

Odisha Police has established a dedicated corridor to ensure uninterrupted transportation to UP, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana. (ANI)