Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar, who is also in charge of oxygen supply in state, said that Karnataka had sought to stop the supply of 145 MT and 63 MT medical oxygen to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh respectively apart from the 40 MT assigned to Maharashtra.
Amid reports of oxygen shortage in different parts of the state, the Karnataka government is likely to receive permission from the Centre to use oxygen produced within the state for its own use.
Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar, who is also in charge of oxygen supply in state, said that Karnataka had sought to stop the supply of 145 MT and 63 MT medical oxygen to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh respectively apart from the 40 MT assigned to Maharashtra.
“The Union government is likely to issue a circular enabling us to utilise all oxygen produced within the state,” Shettar said adding that he had written to Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Pralhad Joshi and D V Sadananda Gowda regarding the same.
Shettar said that a total of 104 oxygen-generating units will begin operations in the coming days in Karnataka. “These will be set up in association with the Centre and various public sector undertakings. With such a system in place, we will be able to provide uninterrupted oxygen supply,” he claimed.
In response to a query, Shettar said that the state was facing a shortage of 67 MT daily with the average consumption over the last week reaching 880 MT. He also said the state government is exploring other ways to enhance oxygen production in the state.
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“In a bid to increase the production, we are transforming many nitrogen units into oxygen production units in the state. One such effort is taking place in Raichur where a plant with a capacity of 500 cubic metres per hour is expected to start operation within the next five weeks,” he said after meeting senior officials linked to the process in Bengaluru.
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