Two C 130 aircraft of the Republic of Singapore Air Force landed in Bengal with 256 oxygen cylinders.
A consignment of oxygen cylinders from Singapore has arrived in India as the country struggles with a massive second wave of infections with several hospitals turning away patients as beds and oxygen supplies run out. Two C 130 aircraft of the Republic of Singapore Air Force landed today at the Panagarh Air Force Station in West Bengal with 256 oxygen cylinders.
The operation involved contactless offloading, flight planning and other ground operations, the Indian Air Force said in a statement.
Two C-130 aircraft of Republic of Singapore Air Force arrived at Panagarh Air base today with a batch of oxygen cylinders. The operations involved contact less off loading and ground operations. pic.twitter.com/FXm37aKtmn
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) April 28, 2021
Second Minister for Singapore Foreign Affairs Dr Maliki Osman handed over the two planeloads of oxygen cylinders to India’s High Commissioner P Kumaran at Paya Lebar Air Base this morning.
“Singaporeans stand in solidarity with our friends in India in their fight against the pandemic,” said Mr Maliki.
“The fighting spirit of the Indian people will prevail. We have witnessed India’s immense capabilities in mobilising her people and resources when challenges arise. While our contribution is modest, we hope that it will bring comfort and relief to those in need and encourage those on the frontline in India, who are working tirelessly, to fight on,” he added.
Earlier, the Tata Group donated four cryogenic oxygen cylinders sourced from Singapore. That consignment landed in West Bengal over the weekend.
One lakh portable oxygen concentrators will be procured and 500 more pressure swing adsorption oxygen plants will be installed from the PM Cares Fund, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday, asserting this will help improve access to oxygen, especially in district headquarters and tier-2 cities.
The PMO said in a statement that the oxygen concentrators and the new PSA plants will greatly augment the supply of oxygen near the demand clusters.
India’s coronavirus death count shot past 2,00,000 Wednesday as a relentless wave of new cases swamped hospitals and sent desperate families out into the streets of the capital in search of oxygen supplies and medicine.