Delhi: COVID-19 patients at home can apply for oxygen online
Amid reports of families of COVID-19 patients struggling to procure liquid medical oxygen (LMO) in time, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government on Thursday announced that all persons in home isolation requiring oxygen may apply for the same on the Delhi government website. Patients will be required to submit a valid photo ID, Aadhaar card details, and a COVID-19 positive report on the online portal.
District Magistrates asked to identify dedicated distributors
District Magistrates (DMs) have been given the responsibility to identify "dedicated dealers/depots to distribute (oxygen) cylinders to individuals who shall not be redirected to refilling plants under any circumstances," a Delhi government order stated. DMs shall ensure that adequate office personnel is assigned to scrutinize all incoming applications and issue the e-passes quickly, and that the same may be accorded top priority, it added.
Passes will be issued on the basis of stock availability
Based on the stock availability, the DMs will issue a pass having the date, time, and address of the dealer/depot from where the oxygen cylinder can be issued/exchanged. "Each district has been assigned one re-filler for accessing its lump-sum allocation," the order stated. The DMs were also directed to ensure that the dealers regularly get their cylinders refilled from the designated refilling plants.
Portal set up to streamline process of distribution
The online portal has been set up "to streamline the entire system of distribution of the lump-sum allocation under the supervision of DMs and also in order to facilitate the public to access these cylinders with certainty," the order stated.
DTC bus depots designated storage facilities for oxygen cylinders
The Delhi government has taken a decision to create a common pool of oxygen and establish storage facilities at Delhi Transport Corporation depots. Eleven DTC depots have been designated for oxygen cylinder storage and each depot has initially been allocated 20 filled cylinders. These will be issued/exchanged in lieu of empty cylinders after the concerned DM's approval, stated a separate order issued on Tuesday.
DRDO sets up 2 oxygen plants in Delhi
Further, the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has set up two oxygen plants in Delhi at All India Institute of Medical Science Trauma Centre and Ram Manohar Lohia hospital. The plants will produce 1,000 liters of oxygen every minute and support 190 patients every day. Five-hundred such plants funded by the PM-CARES Fund will be set up across India, an official said.
Supplied 730 MT of oxygen to Delhi, Centre tells SC
On Thursday, the Centre told the Supreme Court that it has complied with its order and instead of 700 MT/day oxygen, it ensured a supply of 730 MT to Delhi for COVID-19 patients. The SC, while staying contempt proceedings by the Delhi High Court against the Centre for failing to supply 700 MT of oxygen to Delhi, had sought an answer by Thursday morning.
Delhi reported nearly 20,000 new cases today
Delhi on Thursday reported 19,133 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total tally to 12,73,035. Further, 335 people succumbed to COVID-19, pushing the death toll to 18,398. Out of all cases, 90,629 cases involve active infections.
