Odisha CM Patnaik assures oxygen supply to Delhi, Maharashtra

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has offered to help Delhi and Maharashtra — the worst affected states in the ongoing Covid-19 wave — meet their requirement of medical oxygen with supplies from his state.

Several hospitals and medical centres in Delhi and Maharashtra are facing shortage of oxygen after the surge in Covid-19 cases.

Patnaik on Thursday spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and promised to extend all cooperation at the national level, including ramping up oxygen production, to assist other states in this emergency. He also said that it’s a war like situation and the state was ready to offer help and cooperation.


Odisha is home to large industrial units and can potentially divert industrial oxygen for medical use. “The central government has requested Odisha to divert industrial oxygen for medical use for Maharashtra and Delhi. The CM has spoken to both Maharashtra and Delhi CMs and offered what needs to be done,” Pinaki Misra, national spokesperson of Biju Janata Dal (BJD), told ET. “This is a time for statesmen and leaders to come together and work on a bipartisan basis. This is not the time for pettiness and one-upmanship.”

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal thanked Patnaik for the help. “Received a call from Naveen Patnaik ji. He has assured complete support to Delhi in facilitating lifting of Delhi’s quota of oxygen from Odisha,” Kejriwal wrote on Twitter. “He has put a special officer on the job. Thank you so much, sir. Delhi is indeed grateful.”

Patnaik has also deployed a team of officers to work on the modalities of the transfer of oxygen from Odisha to Maharashtra and Delhi, which are far away.

Kejriwal said he is exploring the option of airlifting oxygen containers from Odisha. However, Odisha officials told ET that the easiest way would be to transport them by train and that the railway ministry needs to come in to form a green corridor for fast passage. All this is being worked out among the state governments.