New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today chaired another high-level meeting on Covid-19 situation with Chief Ministers of high burden states and urged them to take strict measures against hoarding and black marketing of oxygen, essential medicines and injections.
PM held the meeting with CMs of 11 states and Union Territories which have reported maximum number of cases recently. He urged all states to work together and coordinate with one-another to fulfil requirements relating to medicines and oxygen.
On oxygen supply, PM Modi took note of the points raised by the states. He said there is a continuous effort to increase oxygen supply. All the concerned departments and ministries of the government are also working together. Industrial oxygen has also been diverted to meet immediate requirements, PMO said in a statement.
PM said that every state should ensure that no oxygen tanker, whether it is meant for any state, is stopped or gets stranded. He urged the states to set up a high-level co-ordination committee to carry oxygen to different hospitals of the state.
“This Coordination Committee should ensure that as soon as there is allotment of oxygen from the centre, it can deliver oxygen as per requirement in different hospitals of the state immediately,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
PM also informed the Chief Ministers that yesterday he chaired a meeting on oxygen supply and will be attending one today to discuss all the options for increasing the oxygen supply.
PM furthers told the CMs that the central government is working on all possible options to reduce the travel time and turnaround time of oxygen tankers. For this, Railways has started Oxygen Express. Empty Oxygen tankers are also being transported by the Air-Force to reduce one way travel time.
The Prime Minister said that along with upgrading of resources, we have to focus on testing. He emphasized that widespread testing should be conducted so that people get the facility easily.
He said that the country’s vaccination programme should not slow down in this situation, while mentioning that India is running the world’s largest vaccination programme and so far, more than 15 crore vaccine doses have been provided free of cost to the states by the Centre.
PM Modi also urged the administration to continuously make people aware so that they do not indulge in panic buying. He said that with united efforts, we will be able to stop this second wave of the pandemic across the country.
-ARK
