Kochi: The price of liquid medical oxygen has been increased again in the state even as domestic consumption is on the rise due to the raging pandemic. This is the second price hike in 34 days.
The price has been increased by Rs 6-8 per cubic meter. With this, the price of one cubic metre of liquid oxygen has gone up to Rs 26-28. This is excluding tax. On April 17, the price of liquid oxygen was increased by Rs 6-8.
The lone private liquid medical oxygen (LMO) manufacturer in the state is INOX Air Products at Kanjikode in Palakkad. Southern Air Products, the distributor of INOX Air Products, informed about the price hike to retail and wholesale distributors over the phone. They have indicated that the written notice would be provided soon. The company has said that the price hike would be effective retrospectively from May 12.
Currently, the oxygen supply from the INOX plant is overseen by the government. Anticipating the possibility of oxygen shortage in the state, a centralised war room was set up under the supervision of senior IAS officers to monitor the distribution. An IAS official has been visiting the plant daily and monitoring the operations.
Second oxygen train arrives
The second train carrying oxygen for Kerala arrived at the Vallarpadam terminal in Kochi on Saturday morning. The train with seven cryogenic containers transported 128.66 metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen from Rourkela in Odisha. This would be transported to the storage centres in various districts on Saturday.
The train with 118 metric tonnes of oxygen arrived on May 16. The Railways has delivered 13,319 metric tonne oxygen to various states so far.
