Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a meeting with the chief ministers of 11 worst COVID-hit states/Union territories on Friday, 23 April, and asked them to ensure that oxygen-carrying tankers must not get stranded or delayed on their way to other states.
PM Modi urged the states to set up high-level coordination committees for this purpose.
“This Coordination Committee should ensure that as soon as there is allotment of oxygen from the centre, it can deliver oxygen as per requirement in different hospitals of the state immediately,” he added.
Further, PM Modi appealed to all states to work together in fulfilling all requirements relating to medicines and oxygen. He also asked the states to monitor hoarding and black marketing of oxygen and other critical medical supplies.
Saying that the central government is undertaking all efforts to reduce the travel and turnaround time of oxygen tankers, he added that the Railways Ministry have started Oxygen Express.
“Empty oxygen tankers are also being transported by the Air-Force to reduce one-way travel time.” PM Modi added.
At the meeting, which was aired live on TV, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal requested the PM to ensure adequate oxygen supply in the national capital.
‘Help Delhi Prevent a Catastrophe’: Kejriwal
“I ask you with folded hands to help the people of Delhi to help the state with its much needed oxygen shortage requirements to prevent it from a catastrophe,” the Delhi CM said.
The CM highlighted the crippling oxygen crisis in hospitals in the capital, and added “Will people of Delhi not get oxygen if there is no oxygen-producing plant here? Please suggest whom should I speak to in the central government when an oxygen tanker destined for Delhi is stopped in another state.”
Kejriwal urged PM Modi to facilitate the airlifting of oxygen from West Bengal and Odisha to resolve the shortage in Delhi hospitals.
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