Making efforts to airlift oxygen from Odisha: Arvind Kejriwal on O2 supply

The Delhi government is making efforts to airlift its enhanced quota of oxygen supply from Odisha, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said Thursday, as several city hospitals reported shortage of oxygen amid rising cases of coronavirus.

Kejriwal thanked the Centre and the High Court for their efforts towards raising Delhi's oxygen quota for treating COVID 19 patients, and said the supplies have started reaching the national capital.

He said a major chunk of the freshly allotted quota of oxygen to Delhi comes from Odisha, which is hundreds of kilometres away, and the Delhi government is planning to airlift it to save time at this critical juncture in the fight against coronavirus.

He said Delhi had a daily quota of 378 MT of medical oxygen that has been increased to 480 MT, and thanked the Central government for it. But, he said, more supplies are needed as according to estimates Delhi needs 700 MT of oxygen daily.

Delhi received its quota of oxygen as fixed by the Centre from other states, he said, but added, some states stopped trucks headed to the national capital.

"This is not fair. This is a huge calamity and we need to fight it unitedly. If we are divided, India will not survive," Kejriwal said.

He appealed to state governments to help each other and promised to provide them surplus oxygen, medicines and doctors if COVID 19 situation came under control in Delhi.