Karnataka convinces Centre on using oxygen produced within the state for itself


Bengaluru, May 19 (IANS): Karnataka industries minister, Jagadish Shettar on Wednesday said that the union government had in-principle agreed to the state's proposal to utilise all oxygen produced within the state.

Shettar, who has been assigned additionally to handle oxygen supply to all hospitals in the state, held a series of meeting with officials concerned here and told reporters that Karnataka had sought to stop the supply of oxygen 145 MT to Telangana, 63MT to Andhra Pradesh and 40 MT supply to Maharashtra and union government has agreed in principle for this.

"The union government is all likely to issue a circular enabling the state government to utilise all of the oxygen produced within the state," he said.

Shettar said that the union ministers - Piyush Goel, Sadananda Gowda and Prahalad Joshi - have played a vital role at various stages to convince the union government to allow Karnataka to use the life saving gas produced within the state.

"But for the help of these union ministers, it would not have been possible," he said.

Answering a question, Shettar said that the state was facing shortage of around 67 MTs of oxygen supply even to this date but as of now the state still stands the danger of running out of oxygen supply in hospitals. "We need to bridge this gap of 67 MTs as soon as possible and therefore, the state government has sought the union government to exempt the state from allowing oxygen produced in its state to be sold to another state at the time of such a crisis," he explained.

According to him, after the Supreme Court order of 1,200 allocation to Karnataka, the union government has increased Karnataka's share to 1,015 MT from 965 MT.

"Out of 1015 MT, 765 MT is the allocation from within the state from our six main producers, 60 is from MSME PSA plants that have been authorised by the union government and 190 is to be brought from other states (160 from Orissa and 30 from Visakhapatnam)," he explained.

He added that in the last one week, the state's supplies on an average remained at 875 MT on a day-to-day basis, which translates into a shortage of around 67 MTs of Oxygen.

The minister said that Karnataka has started district-wise Oxygen allocation based on the active cases (actual requirement) besides monitoring the daily supply of LMO at oxygen refilling stations and their supply to the allotted hospitals.

"The aviation major Boeing is giving 1,000 LPM plant to the ESI hospital Kalaburagi which will become operational on May 22 and by next week 500 LPM plant will be set up in Virajpet, Kodagu district too while two 500LPM PM oxygen generator plants have become operational in Kolar Gold Field (KGF) and Yadgir," he explained.

Apart from these, Karnataka's efforts are also on to revive any defunct Oxygen gas plants and to leverage Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) oxygen gas generation capacity at their Yelahanka, Raichur and Bidar plants. "Besides, there are talks going on to procure a compressor for bottling of oxygen in KPCL's Raichur plant as well," he added.

Replying to a question, the minister claimed that efforts were on in identification and conversion of Nitrogen PSA plants to Oxygen.

"One such effort in Raichur with 500 cubic meter per hour capacity is in the advance stages of revival and will start operation after five weeks," he said and also added oxygen gas plant within the Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant (VISL), a unit of Steel Authority of India Limited in Bhadravati in Shivamogga district, presently has the capacity to fill 150-190 oxygen cylinder and the state government is in process of increasing the capacity of the plant by 200 cylinders soon.

 

 

 

 

 

  

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Comment on this article

  • JNB, Bejai

    Thu, May 20 2021

    In Rocket science, Satellites, moon , Mars etc we Indians copmare at Pakistan, Nepal, Bangla etc but they have better leaving and breathing condition than Indians now.

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  • Ram Charan, Mangaluru

    Wed, May 19 2021

    Why so much fuss about my oxygen and your oxygen? When Karnataka was surplus in oxygen it supplied to other states. It is life saving gesture. When more oxygen demand arose in state it was supplemented with imports( Bharain, Kuwait) and to improve logistics some oxygen was also sent to neighbouring states. Now inhouse oxygen is not sufficient to meet the demand so the oxygen to neighbouring state is stopped. If we blindly follow the logic of stopping the supply to other states then what about 180 tons being supplied to Karnataka by other state to meet the shortfall? If those states also adopt the selfish motives what it will lead to? Let us not have narrow perspective. Live and let live. Ar fu

    DisAgree [2] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Gurka, mangaluru

    Wed, May 19 2021

    Can you stop the DRAMA of MEETINGS, CONVINCING, APPROVAL, by then no one will to vote you MrShettar !! act and then talk !!! otherwise shut the hell up !! Whatever you said it in the press MEAT !! when it will be implemented ! after distributing all the commission, under the table, and whatever left over you will think to start by then the issue will not be there !!

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Alwin, Mangaluru

    Wed, May 19 2021

    Is there any sense in minister statement

    DisAgree Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Naresh, Kerala

    Wed, May 19 2021

    He is talking as if it is a great achievement convincing his master that the Oxygen produced within the State would be used for the State only...... Look at Vijayan in Kerala, he informed Centre that he is going to stop supply to TN, Karnataka and next day he stopped. The buck stops there.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • Charles D'Mello, Pangala

    Wed, May 19 2021

    Naresh, Kerala.....vijayans B**ls are not in the hands of Modi....!!!!??? But Karnataka C.M's are.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Pili, Mangalore

    Wed, May 19 2021

    Convincing days are here to central from state for oxygen use. what a great charity.. pls also convince not charge GST for breathing in karnataka.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Charles D'Mello, Pangala

    Wed, May 19 2021

    "Karnataka had sought to stop the supply of oxygen 145 MT to Telangana, 63MT to Andhra Pradesh and 40 MT supply to Maharashtra and union government has agreed in principle for this."...Now we know why P.M is doing a favor to Karnataka by supplying oxygen to Karnataka and not supplying to Telangana, Andrhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.... THEY COULD MAKE THE GOVERNMENT IN KARNATKA BY BYING THE MLA'S FROM CONGRESS..!!!!??? Telangana, Andhra pradesh and Maharshtra (Although tried but could not succeed), they could not form the government. Mr. Modi....we are not fools to fall for your gimmicks. But educating blind followers even if you are failure is not in our hands. But next election BJP will not win in Karnataka for sure.

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sp, Mangalore

    Wed, May 19 2021

    Karnataka govt is a puppet of the centre.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Wed, May 19 2021

    Sri Lanka, Pakistan & Bangladesh are having plenty of Oxygen ...

    DisAgree [1] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Krishnak, Udupi

    Wed, May 19 2021

    Flightbooked?

    DisAgree [4] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse


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Title: Karnataka convinces Centre on using oxygen produced within the state for itself



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