Don't restrict supply of oxygen outside: MHA to states

With restrictions imposed on the movement of medical oxygen in some parts of the country due to increasing Covid-19 cases, the Centre on Thursday asked states not to prevent such movements or restrict manufacturers and suppliers to limit the supplies only to hospitals in the state where they are located.

The Centre's instructions came amid reports that some states were trying to curb the inter-state movement of oxygen supplies from manufacturing units situated in their respective states by invoking the Epidemic Disease Act 1897, The Disaster Management Act 2005 and The Essential Commodities Act or any state-specific law and the Indian Penal Code.

For latest updates on coronavirus outbreak, click here

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla wrote to the states emphasising that availability of an "adequate and uninterrupted" supply of medical oxygen is an important prerequisite for managing "moderate and severe" cases of Covid-19. With the increase in cases, the consumption of oxygen is also expected to increase.

Reminding that medical oxygen is an "essential public health commodity" and any "impediment" in its supplies in the country will "critically impact" the management of patients suffering from Covid-19 in other parts of the country, he asked states to ensure that no restriction is imposed on the movement of medical oxygen between the states.

Transport authorities should be instructed to allow free inter-state movement of oxygen-carrying vehicles. The states should also not restrict oxygen manufactures and suppliers to limit the oxygen supplies only to hospitals of the state in which they are located, he said.

There should be free movement of oxygen-carrying vehicles into the cities without any restriction of timings, while also enabling inter-city supply without restriction, he said.

Also Read | Covid-19: Congress, BJP MPs raise black marketing of oxygen in Rajya Sabha

The states have also been asked to set up multi-disciplinary teams with representatives from the health, industry, transport, and other related departments to continuously monitor the availability of medical oxygen in their jurisdictions.

Any shortfall/related problems that are encountered in this regard should be immediately brought to the notice of the Central Control Room that has been established in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The states could email ar [e-mail].

The letter also comes two days after senior Congress MP Digvijay Singh and BJP's Bhagwat Karad raised the issue of black marketing of oxygen during the pandemic and increasing price of oxygen in several states.