National Task Force Suggests Further Increase In Oxygen Production

A 12-member National Task Force has held its first meeting to take stock of the work carried out by various ministries in ramping up oxygen production and supply.

The meeting, held on Sunday, was set up by the Supreme Court to ensure that medical oxygen is delivered throughout the country in a streamlined manner through an effective and transparent mechanism.

The task force members commended the contribution of the various ministries and government departments of the government in augmenting oxygen production capacities as well as in ensuring its efficient distribution.

The members provided specific suggestions for further increasing oxygen production and availability, managing the demand side of medical oxygen, and parameters on which individual health facilities could use of medical oxygen.

Meanwhile, Indian Railways has delivered nearly 4,200 metric tonnes (MT) of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) in more than 268 tankers to various states across the country.

About 68 oxygen expresses have already completed their journey delivering LMO to Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh so far.

Oxygen is now being delivered by the railways to cities like Kanpur, which received 80 MT of LMO on Sunday.