COVID-19: 'Oxygen produced in Karnataka should be reserved for our state' says Siddaramaiah

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that the oxygen produced in the state should be reserved for the state only, amid the acute oxygen crisis faced by the country due to the rampant surge in coronavirus cases.

Taking to Twitter, the Congress leader claimed that Karnataka's allocated oxygen quota by the central government is less than 50 per cent of the state's demand.

He tweeted, "Oxygen produced in Karnataka should be reserved for our state only. The allocated oxygen share for Karnataka is less than 50 per cent of the actual demand."

Siddaramaiah also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to increase the oxygen supply to the state and said, "I urge PM to increase the supply of oxygen based on the actual demand."

The government of Karnataka on Wednesday set up a Commission of Inquiry to probe into the death of 24 patients at a district hospital in Chamarajanagar reportedly due to a shortage of oxygen earlier on Monday.

Praising the state government's decision, Siddaramaiah tweeted, "I welcome the decision taken for the judicial investigation regarding Chamarajanagar hospital Oxygen shortage incident. Guilty should be punished."

Highlighting the death of four people at SNR Hospital, Kolar also due to oxygen shortage, Siddaramaiah said, "I also urge the government to initiate a judicial investigation regarding the deaths reported in Kolar, Bengaluru, etc due to Oxygen shortage."

As the country witnesses a massive rise in coronavirus cases, several reports of patients' death have surfaced due to the shortage of oxygen.

(ANI)

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