- Sunday, May 19, 2024
By: Sattwik Biswal
THE defence minister on Saturday (24) reviewed efforts by various wings of the ministry in contributing to India’s battle against a fast-spreading second wave of coronavirus.
Rajnath Singh carried out the review in an online meeting attended by chief of defence staff Gen Bipin Rawat, army chief Gen MM Naravane, navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh and DRDO chairman G Satheesh Reddy among others.
The three services as well as other wings of the ministry of defence (MoD) ministry have been extending support to various state governments and union territories in dealing with the massive surge in Covid-19 cases.
Since Friday (23), the Indian Air Force airlifted empty oxygen tankers and containers to various filling stations across the country to speed up the distribution of the much-needed medical oxygen in treating Covid-19 patients.
The IAF has also been transporting essential medicines as well as equipment required by the designated Covid hospitals in various parts of the country.
On Saturday (24), one C-17 transport aircraft of the IAF reached Changi airport in Singapore to bring high-capacity oxygen containers to boost the oxygen supply in the country.
“The Indian Air Force is taking sorties to reduce the transportation time of oxygen and other critical supplies. One C-17 has reached Changi airport in Singapore today (24). These containers of cryogenic oxygen tanks will help boosting the oxygen supply in the country,” Singh’s office said.
India is struggling with a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and hospitals in several states are reeling under acute shortage of medical oxygen and beds in view of a rising number of positive cases.
