COVID-19: Saudi Arabia to ship 80 metric tonnes of oxygen to India to meet growing demand
Dubai, Apr 25: Saudi Arabia is shipping 80 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen to India as the country is running low on supplies due to an unprecedented spike in coronavirus cases.
India logged a record of 3,49,691 new coronavirus infections in a day on Sunday, taking its total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,69,60,172. The death toll increased to 1,92,311 with a record 2,767 daily new fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry data.
The supply shipment is being undertaken in cooperation with the Adani group and Linde company.
"Embassy of India is proud to partner with Adani group and M/s Linde in shipping much-needed 80MT liquid oxygen to India. Our heartfelt thanks to the Ministry of Health Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for all their help, support, and cooperation, the Indian mission in Riyadh tweeted.
"Thank you @IndianEmbRiyadh Indeed, actions speak louder than words. We are on an urgent mission to secure oxygen supplies from across the world. This first shipment of 4 ISO cryogenic tanks with 80 tons of liquid oxygen is now on its way from Dammam to Mundra, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani said in a tweet.
India is struggling with a second wave of the pandemic with more than 3,00,000 daily new coronavirus cases being reported in the past few days, and hospitals in several states are reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds.
To combat the growing demand for oxygen in the country, India has reached out to various countries to procure containers and oxygen cylinders under operation 'Oxygen Maitri'.
The Indian Air Force on Saturday brought four cryogenic tanks, to be used for transporting oxygen, from Singapore. The containers were airlifted from Singapore by C17 heavy-lift aircraft of the IAF.
The aircraft "with 4 cryogenic containers for storage of liquid O2 from Singapore landed at Panagarh airbase" in West Bengal on Saturday, a home ministry spokesperson tweeted.
The IAF was also transporting essential medicines as well as equipment required by the designated COVID-19 hospitals in various parts of the country.
On Friday, the Union Home Ministry said it was in talks for the import of high-capacity oxygen-carrying tankers from Singapore and the UAE.
Meanwhile, President of the European Council Charles Michel said in a tweet, "The EU stands in solidarity with Indian people amidst resurgent COVID19 pandemic. The fight against the virus is a common fight. We will discuss our support and cooperation at EU-India Leaders' meeting on 8 May with @narendramodi and @antoniocostapm".
French President Emmanuel Macron has also extended support to India.
In a tweet shared by the Indian embassy in France, Macron said, "I want to send a message of solidarity to the Indian people, facing a resurgence of COVID-19 cases. France is with you in this struggle, which spares no one. We stand ready to provide our support."
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BJP fielded Ujjwal Nikam in polls who lied about Ajmal Kasab being served biryani in jail: Congress
Mumbai (PTI): AICC spokesperson Supriya Shrinate on Saturday alleged the BJP replaced a woman MP with someone like lawyer Ujjwal Nikam in Lok Sabha elections whose "lie" about 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab being served biryani in jail had been exposed in the past.
The BJP picked former special public prosecutor Nikam from the Mumbi North Central constituency by dropping sitting MP Poonam Mahajan.
Addressing a press conference, Shrinate said the people will teach the BJP a lesson by electing Congress candidate Varsha Gaikwad from the Mumbai North Central seat.
"Nikam's falsehood on Ajmal Kasab being served Biryani in jail was exposed a few years ago and he too had accepted his lie," she claimed.
Expressing confidence that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will win all six seats in Mumbai, Shrinate claimed the BJP has to import candidates from outside to contest elections.
She alleged Union minister Piyush Goyal, who is BJP's nominee from Mumbai North constituency, cannot tolerate the smell of fishermen who are the original inhabitants of Mumbai.
"As the political atmosphere in the country is turning against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, they are spreading falsehood about the Congress by attributing motives to the party if it is elected to power. Since the BJP hasn't done any good work in the last ten years, they are speaking only about Congress and Rahul Gandhi," she alleged.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde condemned Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar's purported remarks on 26/11 martyrs and Mumbai Police.
Wadettiwar, the leader of the opposition in the Maharashtra legislative assembly, purportedly called Ujjwal Nikam an "anti-national" and accused him of hiding the information that then Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare wasn't killed by Kasab's bullet during the 26/11 terror attack, but fell to a bullet of a policeman who was affiliated to RSS.
Wadettiwar's allegations were based on the book "Who Killed Karkare" written by retired police officer SM Mushriff.
"Wadettiwar should be detained by NIA and investigated to find out why is defending terrorist Ajmal Kasab (who was hanged after trial). The Congress party promotes terrorism," the Shiv Sena said in a statement.
Shiv Sena secretary and spokesperson Kiran Pawaskar accused Wadettiwar of making disrespectful remarks about the valiant policemen who sacrificed their lives during the 26/11 terrorist attack.
"Wadettiwar's remarks emphasise the track record of the Congress which promotes terrorism rather than its prevention. The Congress is not a party that prevents terrorism but it promotes terrorism," he alleged.
Pawaskar also questioned the "silence" of Uddhav Thackeray and alleged the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader was reluctant to speak about Wasettiwar for fear of upsetting certain communities.
He demanded Wadettiwar apologise in public to the kin of the martyrs of the 26/11 attack and the police force for his derogatory remarks.
He reiterated the Bharatiya Janata Party's endorsement of Nikam's candidature, citing his "unwavering dedication to justice, especially in cases of Dalit oppression such as the Khairlanji massacre".
Pawaskar said Congress' criticism of Nikam was baseless and an affront to the exemplary reputation of the Mumbai Police.
Meanwhile, the BJP Yuva Morcha in Mumbai staged a protest against "pro-Pakistan" Congress for calling Ujjwal Nikam an anti-national.
