Kerala Overrules Centre's Directive To Supply Oxygen To Tamil Nadu, Cites Increased Demand

In a move that may affect the required medical oxygen supply to Tamil Nadu, Kerala has overruled Centre’s revised allocation of 40MT from Inox Kanjikode through an order under the disaster management act.

Earlier On 30 April, the Centre had allocated 150 MT liquid medical oxygen (LMO) from Inox Kanjikode to the state and 20 MT to Karnataka. Later, on 8 May, through another order, the Centre revised the allocation from the plant.

After receiving a letter from Tamil Nadu CM Stalin, Centre has reallocated 40 MT to Tamil Nadu from the Inox plant at Kanjikode in Kerala.

This effectively reduced the state’s allocation for two days (10 and 11 May) by 40 MT. Due to rising demand for oxygen amid increasing cases, Kerala was forced to use its powers under the disaster management act, reports The Times of India.

Meanwhile, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to the Prime Minister that the entire 219 MT of oxygen being produced in the state should be allocated to the state itself.

Currently, Kerala is receiving 12 to 14 MT of LMO from ISRO from its liquid propulsion systems centre at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu.