Besides dealing with the current COVID-19 pandemic in India, lack of oxygen has also created a situation of chaos in the health infrastructure of India.
In order to overcome this situation, The Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered that no restrictions will be imposed on the vehicle carrying the oxygen cylinder and transporting it across the state to transport the oxygen quicker.
It is also said that no authority will be allowed to attach the Oxygen- carrying vehicles passing through the district or any state for making supply of oxygen specific to any particular area. To ensure this, The Ministry of Home Affairs laid down few more measures and ordered the authorities to note them down.
Following measures are imposed:
- No restrictions shall be imposed on the vehicles transporting the oxygen within the territory and through the district and to allow free inter-state movement.
- No restrictions shall be imposed on the manufacturers and suppliers of the oxygen to limit their supplies only to the hospitals in the State and Union Territory in which they are located.
- There shall be free movement of the vehicles carrying the oxygen within the state, without any restriction of timings and allowing free inter-state movement.
- No authority shall attach the oxygen carrying vehicles to the specific area or to any particular district.
- Supply of oxygen for industrial purposes, except those exempted by the Government, is prohibited w.e.f. 22 April 2021 and till further orders.
- State and Union territories shall strictly abide by the movement plan of the oxygen.
On Tuesday (April 20, 2021) Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the general public to contribute to the oxygen crisis ongoing in the country as per their pocket allow. By replying to this appeal many came forward to help. TATA Group and Reliance Group have announced that they would be helping the country to overcome its shortage and providing excess to fight the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing the production and supply of medical oxygen in the country.
In this appeal by The Prime Minister, TATA Group tweeted that they would be importing 24 cryogenic cylinders to transport the liquid oxygen across the country to overcome its shortage and help in fighting against the second wave of this COVID-19 pandemic. Reliance Group has also promised to produce 700 tons per day to states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, where the COVID-19 cases are growing day by day.
