Centre bars use of liquid oxygen for non-medical purposes, asks plants to maximise production

The order by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla came amid a scarcity of medical oxygen in many parts of the country

Amid the firefighting by the Centre to ensure medical oxygen supply to crowded hospitals gasping for breath, the Home Ministry on Sunday issued a fresh order directing states to ensure that use of liquid oxygen is not allowed for any non-medical purpose.

The order issued by Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla asked oxygen plants to make oxygen available to the government for medical use only with immediate effect.

"Entire stock of liquid oxygen should be used for medical purposes, no exception to any industry," the order said, which also urged the oxygen plants to maximise production of the life saving gas.

Issuing the order in exercise of powers conferred to it under section 10 (2) (1) and Section 65 of the Disaster Management Act, the Centre in its letter to Chief Secretaries of all states also said, "Further all stocks of liquid oxygen, should also be made available to the government for use for medical purposes. No exception is allowed to any industry with regard to use of liquid oxygen."

The order, which came after the Centre reviewed the oxygen supply situation in wake of the rising number of SOS from hospitals and states battling to save the life of critical patients, deemed it necessary to restrict industrial usage of oxygen in order to ensure an uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen across the country.

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The Centre barring the use of liquid oxygen for any non-medical purpose comes amid a scarcity of medical oxygen in many parts of the country including Delhi, which is among the worst-hit states, with its hospitals flooded with patients.

The Home Ministry's order is in line with the growing chorus for a uniform nationwide approach to tackle the various problems related to Covid-19 management.

Earlier on April 22, the union government had passed an order in this regard. In a two-page letter issued to the states, Bhalla had then said that there should be no restriction on the movement of medical oxygen between the states, and transport authorities shall be instructed to accordingly allow free inter-state movement of oxygen-carrying vehicles.

The Home Ministry had then put the onus on the district magistrate and superintendent of police of the district concerned for any violation of its order, asking the states to ensure uninterrupted production and supply of medical oxygen and its transport along inter-state borders.

The last order had said no restrictions shall be imposed on oxygen manufacturers and suppliers to limit the oxygen supplies only to the hospitals of the state and the union territory in which they are located.