"Can Lead To Major Crisis": Tamil Nadu's EPS To PM On Diversion Of Oxygen

Tamil Nadu, Mr Palaniswami said, is witnessing high level of oxygen dependent active cases, leading to requirement of 450 MTs which is above the state's production capacity of 400 MTs.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, requested for immediate cancellation of oxygen supply from its plants to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in view of the rising number of active cases in the state. Tamil Nadu, Mr Palaniswami said, is witnessing high level of oxygen dependent active cases, leading to requirement of 450 MTs which is above the state's production capacity of 400 MTs. Eighty metric tonnes (MTs) of liquid oxygen has been diverted to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and this should be halted in view of increase in oxygen demand, he said. "As compared to the maximum active case number of around 58,000 during the previous surge in 2020, the active caseload has increased to over a lakh today," he said. Mr Palaniswami said that the state has been wrongly allotted lesser quota despite high number of active cases. The consumption of oxygen in Tamil Nadu has already reached 310 MTs as against the inadequate allotment made to the state of only 220 MTs, he said referring to data published by Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisations.