COVID-19: Andhra CM writes to PM Modi seeking increase in oxygen allocation to 910 tonnes

New Delhi: Owing to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the state, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday (May 11) wrote a  letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking an increase in liquid medical oxygen (LMO) allocation to 910 tonnes.

Reddy said that oxygen allocation was 480 tonnes as of April 24, which was revised to 590 tonnes on May 8 but that was not sufficient to meet the demand in hospitals.

“The revised allocation is not at all commensurate with the increasing active (COVID-19) cases. On May 10, oxygen supplies from Chennai and Karnataka were delayed and led to the unfortunate incident wherein 11 persons died due to lack of oxygen in Tirupati,” the letter read.

“I request your intervention to increase the LMO allocation to 910 tonnes and also allot 20 LMO tankers so as to ensure oxygen supplies to all hospitals to take care of the current patient load,” he added.

Earlier, Reddy ordered an inquiry into the death of 11 COVID-19 patients at Ruia Hospital in Tirupati. The patients, who were on ventilator support, died due to low pressure in the medical oxygen supply at the hospital.

In his letter to Modi, Reddy pointed out that the oxygen allocation from Karnataka and Odisha can be increased.

The allocation from JSW plant at Bellary in Karnataka has to be increased from 20 to 150 tonnes as it has enhanced its capacity recently, he wrote. He added that supply from Odisha should be increased from 210 to 400 tonnes.

"In addition, 20 LMO tankers may be allotted to the state to transport this extra allocation from Odisha using the Oxygen Express methodology, duly tying up with the Indian Railways,” he said further.