Karnataka stares at oxygen crisis as two oxygen plants in Ballari breaks down

A BMTC bus that has been converted into an oxygen bus parked at Vijayanagar TTMC in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Karnataka, which is frantically battling the COVID-19 pandemic in the midst of issues with oxygen supply, received a jolt as breakdown in oxygen production plant has led to the shortfall of a whopping 20% of the daily supplies. The huge disruption in supplies is expected to be affect the State on Monday and Tuesday.

In an emergency notice given to the district authorities and BBMP across the State, the government has said that due to production issues in two plants in Ballari, the State is staring at a crisis in Oxygen supply as availability has been reduced by 220 metric tonnes.

The daily supply of Oxygen to the State is about 850 metric tonnes. As per the data released by the Government, the consumption of oxygen in the State was at 822 metric tonnes on May 21 and 885 metric tonnes on May 22. Bengaluru alone had consumed 308 MT and 340 MT of oxygen on these two days.

The district authorities have been asked to expect a 20 % reduction in supply and prepare for the same. While the districts have been asked to manage Oxygen supply carefully on Monday and Tuesday, it has been directed to inform hospitals about the same. They have been advised to plan oxygen stocks and buffer stock, and use buffer stock if the situation requires.

Among other high oxygen consuming districts, Mysuru consumed 54.8 MT and 55.9 MT on May 21 and May 22 followed by Ballari, which consumed 40.15 MT and 41.26 MT, and Dharwad that consumed 31.96 MT and 57.08 MT of oxygen.

"We have the issue due to tripping of plants. But we have done our best to minimise the impact and everyone is in complete coordination to handle the situation. There is no need to panic," a senior official in the COVID State War room clarified. The official asserted that there has been back up supplies to deal with the production tripping in two plans. "We have adequate (buffer) quantum to meet the situation," the official said.

The short fall comes at a time when the daily oxygen supply matched the consumption. Health Department sources said that the shortfall was likely to show up on Tuesday and Wednesday though the oxygen supply to districts and hospitals are being redrawn to distribute the available Oxygen. Only by late Wednesday, supplies could be normal if the production resumes, sources said.