In what has become a spat between the Center and the Tamil Nadu government amid the crisis of addressing the dearth of oxygen supply in the state, the state government has expressed its dissent against the Center to divert the liquid oxygen to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana without consulting it. The incident had sparked objections from the state government and from the opposition parties. 

Tamil Nadu has been steering through the second wave of the pandemic by recording the exponential rise of COVID-19 cases, which further triggered the surge in active cases and to face a new challenge of augmenting the medical infrastructure. Amid such development, the Central government had diverted the oxygen to Tamil Nadu's neighbors without consulting from the state government. 

According to reports, the Union Health Ministry has ordered the diversion of nearly 45 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen manufactured by Chennai's sole oxygen supplier, Inox in Sriperumbudur, to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The diversion has come when Tamil Nadu is in the need of 200 metric tonnes of oxygen a day on average. It has come at a high time when Tamil Nadu has been reporting the biggest jump in infections and active cases. 

The development has surfaced a fresh dispute between the state and the Center. Speaking to a news agency, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Vijayabaskar said that the Center has taken the decision without consulting the state and the move has affected the state's plan to ensure seamless supply of the life-saving gas. The minister said, "We are ready to help all our neighbors. We did so even during the peak of the 2020 crisis." 

"But the Center should have taken the ground reality into account. We will be taking up this issue with the Union Health Minister soon", Vijayabaskar added. He further said, "According to an earlier allocation by the Center, Tamil Nadu's supply would have increased from 200 metric tonnes on April 20 to 320 metric tonnes by April 25, and to 465 tonnes by end of April. But as per the revised order, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were allotted 360 metric tonnes of oxygen, while TN's allotment is still at 200 metric tonnes."

He further added that the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation has increased oxygen storage capacity by nearly three times at government hospitals. When the issue had come to light, the opposition parties had strongly castigated the Center for its diversion drive without consulting with the state government. Dr. P Umanath IAS, the Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation, has admitted that the Center had diverted the oxygen from the state. 

Tamil Nadu Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Jothimani had staunchly slammed the Center and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi why this stepmother attitude towards the Tamil people. Taking to Twitter, Jothimani said, "Dear  @PMOIndia i am shocked to learn that Central Govt has moved 45MT Oxygen from TamilNadu to other states while we are struggling. Why this stepmother attitude towards Tamil People? Pls ensure a sufficient oxygen supply in my state and across the country."

She further said, "Mr. PM we are paying price for your lack of care and preparedness. By irresponsibly exporting oxygen and medicine to other countries you created this mess in our country. Even now you are focusing on election rallies while the country is dying. Pls be responsible and act swiftly". Besides Jothimani, DMK President MK Stalin and AMMK Chief TTV Dhinakaran had condemned the act of the Central government. 

Mr. PM we are paying price for your lack of care and preparedness. By irresponsibly exporting oxygen and medicine to other countries you created this mess in our country. Even now you are focusing on election rallies while the country is dying. Pls be responsible and act swiftly

— Jothimani (@jothims) April 21, 2021