PUNJAB AIRLIFTING OXYGEN TANKERS TO SPEED UP SUPPLIES

The Punjab Government has arranged for regular oxygen supply through the air route from different parts of the country, disclosed members of the state Covid Control Room (O2) on Mondau.

They informed that the oxygen supply started from April 27 through the air route and they have managed to get a total of 804.26 metric tonnes Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) till date by operating 30 flights with the assistance of the IAF.

Due to the long journey undertaken by trucks plying to and from Bokaro and Hazira, from where the state get its LMO quota, the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had decided to airlift oxygen tankers to the Bokaro and Hazira plants from the Chandigarh air base and bring them back by road, shared Control Room officials. The decision has turned the situation in the state’s favour as it has been able to obtain adequate and uninterrupted oxygen supplies.

The Control Room (O2) officials also informed that they were in touch with oxygen generation plants in different parts of the country to Punjab and the state government was closely monitoring and ensuring the timely movement of the trucks carrying LMO. “A double tap on truck movement was being kept from the State Covid Control Room and a police constable is also accompanying each truck to keep a check on delays in case of a breakdown. All these efforts were in addition to the two oxygen expresses that the state has rolled to Bokaro and Hazira,” said an official.

“There has been an improvement in the supply of oxygen and we will try our best to see that no coronavirus patient suffers due to a shortage of the life-saving gas”, the Control Room officials said.