Karnataka receives 731 MT oxygen daily as against demand of 1,200 MT

Since April 27, Karnataka has received an average 731 metric tonnes of liquid daily from seven manufacturers in the state, according to government data.

This, even as officials maintain that the state’s oxygen requirement is 1,200 tonnes daily for Covid-19 patients.

The government’s daily tally of liquid oxygen supplied to the state includes seven manufacturers: Bhoruka Gases Ltd in Whitefield (Bengaluru), Praxair India Pvt Ltd in Koppal and Ballari, Air Waters India Pvt Ltd in Ballari, Universal Air Products Pvt Ltd in Kunigal (Tumakuru), JSW Industrial Gases Pvt Ltd in Ballari and Bellary Oxygen Pvt Ltd in Ballari.

The highest supply to the state from these manufacturers was on May 10 at 893.88 tonnes, data show.

Also read: Bengaluru hospitals need in-house oxy generators, but high costs a barrier

“What is being produced by manufacturers in Karnataka is 1,100 MT of oxygen,” Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar, who is in charge of oxygen supply management, told DH. “Of that, what we are procuring from them is 765 MT. The rest the manufacturers are supplying to other states as per the Centre’s mandate.”

Karnataka has petitioned the Centre to allow the state to use up all the oxygen produced within its boundary.

The state is also losing out on the oxygen it is supposed to get from Odisha. “It looks like 220 MT from only Odisha and we don’t get any of it at all,” said an officer involved in oxygen distribution, adding that there were no tankers. “The government is now purchasing eight tankers that will come in a week or two. Then, some part of it may get lifted,” the officer added.

Also read: Karnataka reports 41,779 new Covid-19 cases, 373 deaths

“...the actual supplies are about 750-800 MT per day over the last few days,” Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar said in his recent guidelines on medical oxygen. “Due to short medical oxygen supplies compared to the unrestricted demand, it is inevitable that supplies have to be managed within the available quantities.”

The guidelines explain the situation thus: “The oxygen supply quantities have not increased but the hospitals in the districts and BBMP are increasing their consumption beyond supplies by increasing oxygenated beds. This is the core reason for hospitals running out of oxygen.”

Accordingly, district-wise allocation “may be” as per actual daily consumption of oxygen, the guidelines state. “It is seen that oxygen usage of different hospitals for the same category of patients vary widely. Similarly, the districts’ oxygen consumption vary widely. This shall be corrected over the coming days,” it said.