The Supreme Court has set up a 12-member national task force of doctors and bureaucrats to primarily formulate a methodology for the scientific allocation of oxygen to mitigate the extreme shortage in many parts of the country because of the sharp rise in Covid cases.
A bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and M.R. Shah, which had passed the order on May 6, formally uploaded the written order on Saturday night.
The members are Dr Bhabatosh Biswas, former vice-chancellor of the West Bengal University of Health Sciences, Calcutta; Dr Devender Singh Rana, chairperson of the board of management of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi; Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, chairperson and executive director of Narayana Healthcare, Bangalore; Dr Gagandeep Kang, professor at Christian Medical College, Vellore; Dr J.V. Peter, director of Christian Medical College, Vellore; Dr Naresh Trehan, chairperson and managing director of Medanta Hospital and Heart Institute, Gurgaon; Dr Rahul Pandit, director of critical ca
Weâll get to that later.
National requirement
total daily production of oxygen is 7,127 metric tonnes.
On April 18, the central government prohibited manufacturers from
supplying oxygen for non-medical use but exempted nine industries â ampoules and vials, pharmaceuticals, steel plants, petroleum refineries, nuclear energy facilities, oxygen cylinder manufacturers, waste-water treatment plants, food and water purification.
These are all process industries that require uninterrupted operation of furnaces. They use
around 2,500 metric tonnes of oxygen, according to an official at the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation. This leaves just over 4,600 metric tonnes for medical use.
On
April 21, a central government official told the Delhi High Court that the daily demand for medical oxygen in the country had risen to 8,000 metric tonnes. Even if the 50,000 tons of oxygen reserve are utilised to meet the current demand, that would cover barely two weeks of need
Stories of hope | DRDO supplies oxygen to AP, TTD, Secunderabad Cantonment
Updated May 2, 2021, 6:06 pm IST
Officials of DRDO in Hyderabad handed over 200 oxygen cylinders to meet the urgent requirement of oxygen supply at hospitals in the country
A total of 100 cylinders have been handed over to Andhra Pradesh, 50 to TTD and 50 to Secunderabad Cantonment at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, DRDO, Hyderabad. PTI file photo
Hyderabad: In what comes as a major help to patients who are getting treated at various hospitals in two Telugu states, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex of DRDO handed over oxygen to Andhra Pradesh state, Tirumala Tirupati Devastanams (TTD) Board and Secunderabad Cantonment to meet the scarcity of oxygen while treating Covid-19 patients.
Tamil Nadu s active caseload has increased to over a lakh, E Palaniswami said. (File photo)
New Delhi:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, requested for immediate cancellation of oxygen supply from its plants to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in view of the rising number of active cases in the state.
Tamil Nadu, Mr Palaniswami said, is witnessing high level of oxygen dependent active cases, leading to requirement of 450 metric tonnes (MTs) which is above the state s production capacity of 400 MTs. Eighty metric tonnes of liquid oxygen has been diverted to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and this should be halted in view of increase in oxygen demand, he said.
: Sunday, April 25, 2021, 5:00 PM IST
COVID-19: E Palaniswami urges PM to halt diversion of oxygen to AP, Telangana, says allocation of oxygen to Tamil Nadu based on wrong allotment
Mr Palaniswami said that his state Tamil Nadu is witnessing a high level of oxygen dependent active cases, leading to a requirement of 450 metric tonnes (MTs
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Chief Minister E Palaniswami has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting cancellation of oxygen supply from its plants to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in view of the rising number of active cases in the state.
In his letter to PM Modi, Mr Palaniswami said that his state Tamil Nadu is witnessing a high level of oxygen dependent active cases, leading to a requirement of 450 metric tonnes (MTs) which is above the state s production capacity of 400 MTs. Currently, eighty metric tonnes of liquid oxygen has been diverted to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and this should be halted in view of increase in oxygen demand