Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleges government increased export of oxygen by 700% in 2020

NEW DELHI: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday once again launched a direct attack on the central government over the oxygen crisis in the country during the second wave of the COVID pandemic, saying the government increased oxygen export by 700 per cent in 2020.

In a Facebook post, the Congress leader said that as the second wave of COVID-19 raged, almost every Indian State began reporting a shortage of oxygen.

The Uttar Pradesh Congress in-charge also said that SOS calls for oxygen cylinders and oxygen beds in hospitals throughout India flooded social media and all other mediums of public appeal.

"Many died gasping for air, while others watched helplessly as their loved ones breathed their last without access to this most basic of medical facilities. Who is responsible for the lack of oxygen in hospitals across India?" she asked.

In her post she further stated that India is not an oxygen "deficient" country. The oxygen producing industry in India was incentivised by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's government to supplement the steel industry back in the 1950s and 60s. This laid the foundation for a robust infrastructure that enables India to produce 7,500 MT of oxygen per day. Just to give you an idea of the requirement for medical oxygen in India, let's look at the oxygen consumption of all Indian hospitals put together at the peak of the second covid wave.

Citing examples she said that India produced 7,603 MT of Oxygen per day on May 1, 8,920 MT per day on May 6, 8,944 MT per day on May 9 and 8,344 MT per day on May 20. She said that at its height, this figure was 8944 MT. This means that the oxygen shortfall at the peak of this wave was less than 1500 MT. (IANS)

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