Karnataka oxygen authorities tell DCs to be ready for disruptions, maintain critical stock

Karnataka’s nodal authorities for oxygen transportation have sounded alert to heads of all districts to keep a critical buffer stock of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) in hospitals to survive a potential break-down of an oxygen plant.

The alert was sounded after a 275 million tonne capacity oxygen plant in Mumbai broke down due to leakage. The authorities had to get a part from Ahmedabad to fix the plant to restore supply.

Karnataka, the nodal authorities said, does not have a cushion to handle any disruption in oxygen supply, even for a few hours.


The note, also marked to ministers in-charge of districts, requested administration officials to moderate the consumption of oxygen and maintain emergency levels from within the available LMO stock. “Absolutely close monitoring by each DC is a must,” the note said.

DELAYED SUPPLY: Another note warned the district authorities about a likely delay in supplies due to low levels of LMO stocks and less production of oxygen at various plants in Ballari and Koppal. Tankers were waiting for long hours at steel plants, it said.

The authorities advised district heads to brace up for delayed supplies and monitor carefully their consumption till stocks arrived.

The nodal officials also asked district officials to keep in touch with re-fillers and suppliers to know the location and status of their tankers.