MHA orders free movement of medical oxygen between states

The Union Home Ministry has issued an order to ensure easy supply of oxygen from one state to another.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has given a clear order to the transport authorities that vehicles carrying oxygen from one state to another state should be given an open exemption.

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With this, the Ministry of Home Affairs has said that no authority should take control of vehicles carrying oxygen supplies in a particular area or district.

“No restrictions shall be imposed on oxygen manufacturers and suppliers to limit the oxygen supplies only to the hospitals of the State/UT in which they are located,” it said further.

“No authority shall attach the oxygen-carrying vehicles passing through the district or areas for making supplies specific to any particular district(s) or areas,” the ministry added.

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However Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that oxygen has been completely depleted in many hospitals in the capital. 

Saroj, Rathi, Shanti Mukund, Tirath Ram Hospital, UK Hospital, Jeevan Hospital say that we have run out of oxygen. We are trying to give them oxygen cylinders in some way.

Sisodia said that when the central government has increased the allocation of oxygen to Delhi, then why are the governments of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh behaving in the same manner as Delhi has a quarrel with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. This is not the time to fight each other, but to unite.

Right now many hospitals in Delhi are facing severe oxygen crisis. Some have completely run out of oxygen, I have been receiving messages and emails from hospitals since morning. We are somehow retracting them from other hospitals and providing cylinders, which have a slightly higher stock.

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Sisodia said that the biggest reason behind the oxygen crisis in Delhi is the 'Jungle Raj' for oxygen by Haryana-UP. Their governments, officers and police are not allowing oxygen to be supplied to Delhi from their oxygen plants. Our officials talked with them, I tried to talk to the Indian government as well, but things are not changing on the ground. 

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