Maharashtra needs more oxygen: Chief secy Sitaram Kunte writes to Centre

Amid the surge in coronavirus cases, the demand for medical oxygen has increased in 16 districts of Maharashtra.

Amid the surge in coronavirus cases, the demand for medical oxygen has increased in 16 districts of Maharashtra. On Tuesday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thakeray's government requested the Centre to further increase the supply of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) to the state by 200 metric tonnes (MT). Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte sent a letter to Union Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba demanding additional supply of medical oxygen. “At present there are more than six lakh cases. Of these, 78,884 patients are on oxygen and 24,787 patients are undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit. The demand for oxygen is also increasing in 16 districts - Palghar, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Solapur, Nandurbar, Beed, Parbhani, Hingoli, Amravati, Buldana, Wardha, Gadchiroli and Chandrapur - of the state. Oxygen audits are being conducted in every district. Considering the increasing demand and need for oxygen in the state, the current supply of oxygen from the central government should be increased by 200 metric tons," wrote the chief secretary of Maharashtra