Centre Won't Allow Import Of Oxygen From Pak: Amarinder Singh

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said the Centre has expressed its inability to allow Punjab's local industry to undertake commercial import of oxygen from Pakistan through the Wagah-Attari border

A disruption is likely in the oxygen supply from Panipat and Barotiwala starting today, the Centre has indicated, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said today. The government, he added, has also expressed its inability to allow Punjab's local industry to undertake commercial import of oxygen from Pakistan through the Wagah-Attari border. This, he said, would cause great stress on Punjab's healthcare system. Around 10,000 patients are surviving on varying levels of oxygen support in the state, he added. The Chief Minister said he has requested the Centre to help in view of the number of critical patients. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have been asked to step in immediately to help resolve the crisis with an additional 50 metric tonne of oxygen and 20 tankers. While the state was airlifting two empty tankers daily to Ranchi, the full tankers are coming by road -- a journey of two days. Despite assurance that "adequate supply would be ensured to us from alternate sources, I regret to point out that this has not happened," the Chief Minister said.