Centre choking oxygen supply to state, says Mamata

Shubhadeep Choudhury

Tribune News Service

Kolkata, April 23

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday lashed out against the Centre for allegedly trying to deprive Bengal of its supply of medical oxygen. Oxygen meant for Bengal was being diverted to Uttar Pradesh by the Centre, she alleged.

“The chain that supplies oxygen to Bengal, namely SAIL, is being shifted to UP. Our chain is being shifted to UP so that there is oxygen shortage here,” Mamata alleged. Addressing a press conference at Durgapur, Mamata alleged that the Modi government at the Centre was bent upon destroying Bengal. “Why supply of one state be cut to benefit another,” she asked. State government sources said the GoI on Wednesday allotted 200 MT of oxygen from different plants located in West Bengal to UP.

Sources said taking into account the current patient load and the rising trend of the infections, it was estimated that the consumption level in West Bengal would rise to roughly 450 MT per day in the next couple of weeks.

Allocation of liquid oxygen to UP could jeopardise the medical treatment of Covid patients in the state, sources said. Stating that she had written to GoI to consider the need of the state and not send medical oxygen available in the state elsewhere, the Chief Minister claimed that her “priority was Covid” and not the ongoing Assembly elections in the state.

“I have been holding five to six meetings daily on the Covid situation in the state,” Mamata said.

“Today I took stock of Durgapur and Asansol districts. I will go to Berhampore and Birbhum tomorrow and review the situation prevailing in Murshidabad and Birbhum districts. Then I will head to Malda,” Mamata said.

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