Chennai, May 26 (IANS): Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday flagged off vehicles carrying 1,400 oxygen cylinders and regulators to 18 districts across the state. Industries minister Thangam Thenarasu, Rural Industries minister T.M. Anbarasan, Sriperumbadur MP, T.R. Balu and Chief secretary V. Irai Anbu and other senior officers were present on the occasion.

The oxygen cylinders and regulators imported from Singapore would be sent to Cuddalore (100), Sivaganga (100), Tiruvannamalai (100), Dharmapuri (75), Dindigul (75), Kallakurichi (75), Kanniyakumari (75), Karur (75), Nagapattinam (75), Namakkal (75), Ramanathapuram (75), Theni (75), The Nilgris (75), Tiruppatur (75), Tiruvarur(75), Villupuram (75), Virudhanagar (75) and Ranipet (50).

An official release from the state government said that the government has issued orders for sourcing 1,915 oxygen cylinders, 2,380 oxygen regulators, 3,250 medical oxygen flowmeters, 5,000 oxygen concentrators and 800 filled cylinders at a cost of Rs 40.71 crore. A total of 515 oxygen cylinders, 1,780 oxygen regulators and 250 medical oxygen flowmeters have been imported till date.

The State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd (SIPCOT) has also procured flowmetres with humidifiers, copper pipes, outlets and manifolds from local suppliers. An amount of Rs 4.33 crore was spent for this, a release from the government said. This is to convert ordinary beds in government hospitals into those with oxygen supply and 1,000 beds in government hospitals in Chennai have been equipped with oxygen supply.

SIPCOT has also sourced 2,000 cylinders from industrial units located in SIPCOT industrial parks and supplied them to various districts of Tamil Nadu after filling them with oxygen.