The Indian government’s Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) has written to the additional secretary at the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) under the commerce ministry, outlining the findings of a study conducted on the daily supply of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) to hospitals in the national capital.
The communique, dated May 11, said excess LMO was available with Delhi, but authorities there could not ensure smooth supply from manufacturers as well as availability of tankers. News18 has seen the communique.
The development assumes significance because it comes in the backdrop of the Delhi government repeatedly asking the Centre to increase the supply of life-saving medical oxygen for critical Covid-19 patients to the national capital, even as courts have intervened in the matter. On the other hand, the Centre has accused the Delhi government of mismanagement, saying its efforts to resolve logistical issues have not been up to the mark.
THE STUDY
PESO said a study was conducted over five days and 10 cycles on stocks (for morning and evening) at 45-64 hospitals (out of 68 hospitals) in Delhi and having LMO storage tank. “LMO to these hospitals are being supplied by 4 suppliers namely INOX, LINDE, Air Liquide and Goyal Gases. Same data were collected from 11 No. of oxygen cylinders re-fillers also where LMO tank is installed,” the document said.
Daily average consumption of each hospital and their total storage capacity were also collected.
Stock of LMO during 10 cycles of study in these hospitals varied from 309 MT (48% of total storage capacity) on May 6 morning to 477 MT (67%) on May 10 morning. It was also observed that LMO stock with re-fillers varied from 39%-74% of their total storage capacity.
NON-AVAILABILITY OF STORAGE
Since May 9, the Delhi government has been trying to get alternate storage space in nearby states, especially at the LMO manufacturers’ premises, to store excess LMO in their storage tanks, the document said.
As per communication received from M/s Air Liquide, “Delhi Government had lifted only 150 MT of LMO on 10/5/2021 from their plants at Panipat and Roorkee against the allocated quota of 190 MT” and requested the firm through email “not to release 42 MT of LMO from Panipat and 20 MT of LMO from Roorkee Plant”, and store these amounts in their storage tanks, the document added.
It is revealed from May 1o supply data of the Delhi government that it “stored excess 38 MT at M/s Air Liquide Panipat plant, 37 MT to storage tanks of M/s INOX Surajpur plant and 37.5 MT to re-fillers storage tanks”.
SUPPLY SHORTFALL
The document said “suppliers were asked to explain the reason behind shortfall in their supplies to Delhi and they have informed the following reasons”. It then cited several reasons, including “due to return” of LMO by the Delhi government, “non-lifting of allocated LMO by the Delhi government, and “non-availability of space in the storage tanks of Delhi’s hospitals”, among others.
“It appears from above facts that excess of LMO is available with Delhi which hampers the smooth supply of LMO from manufacturers resulting into increase of turnaround time inter alia under use of tankers available for transport of LMO,” the document said.
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