With the cyclone storm Yaas over the Bay of Bengal, the state government has intensified the procurement of medical oxygen from Odisha using the Oxygen Express trains over the past two days in order to maintain the buffer stocks in all districts.
The decision was made taking into account the possible interruption of oxygen supply due to the cyclone storm from the steel mills in Angul, Kalinganagar and Rourkela in Odisha, on which Andhra Pradesh largely depends
In a statement on Sunday, MT Krishna Babu, who heads the State Oxygen War Room, said nearly 100 tons of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) had been obtained from Rourkela in Odisha and an additional 100 tons is expected to reach Andhra Pradesh by Monday, Jan. May) by Oxygen Express.
In light of the cyclone storm forecast, the center has also instructed five states, including Andhra Pradesh, to effectively manage those affected by coronavirus by ensuring adequate supplies of food, medicine and other necessary infrastructure.
The government has also taken steps to ensure the regular supply of nearly 200 tons of oxygen to tankers from Angul, Kalinganagar and Rourkela without interruption due to the cyclone. “We are coordinating seamless supply with the local Odisha administration,” said Krishna Babu.
The International Committee of the Red Cross is handing over the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) 120 tons of LMO via six cryotankers with 20 tons each to the state government in the port of Visakhapatnam, which is to be placed as a reserve in Guntur and Tirupati as a buffer for emergencies.
Uninterruptible power supply
The government has also alerted the Department of Energy to ensure uninterrupted power supply for the three major LMO sources in the state – Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) and Ellenbarrie Industries Limited in Visakhapatnam and Liquinox Gases Private Limited in Srikakulam, which supply 210 MT of liquid medical oxygen and are critical to ensuring the oxygen supply in the state.
In addition to the primary sources, there are 49 refillers that convert the liquefied oxygen into gaseous form and distribute it to various hospitals via bottles for use on the last mile.
“All collectors were instructed to ensure uninterrupted power supply to all hospitals by providing power generators,” said Krishna Babu.