New Delhi: In a crucial step forward, the ministry of road transport and highways today issued order to waive off permit requirement for vehicles carrying oxygen till March 2021 following the COVID-19 pandemic. The ministry specified that the provisions of sub-section (1) of the section 66 shall not apply to a transport vehicle, used exclusively for the carriage of oxygen during the period of novel corona virus pandemic, upto March 31, 2021.
;”>The decision has been taken in view of certain issues brought to notice of the ministry about problems being faced by Transport Vehicle operators for the carriage, transportation and delivery of oxygen cylinders or oxygen tanks across the States or within a State.
Oxygen being an important item required for the treatment of COVID-19, the Ministry issued a notification for exemption of permit requirements as required under Section 66 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988.
“This will ensure smooth movement of this essential commodity, and will further ensure smooth supply of oxygen across the country,” the Ministry stated.
Meanwhile, a Health Ministry bulletin stated that 76% of the new confirmed cases were concentrated in 10 States/Union Territories. A total of 86,961 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours in the country. Maharashtra alone contributed more than 20,000 and Andhra Pradesh contributed more than 8,000 cases. As many as 1,130 deaths have been registered in the past 24 hours. 10 States/UTs account for 86% of the deaths in the last 24 hours due to COVID. Maharashtra reported 455 deaths followed by Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh with 101 and 94 deaths, respectively.
Meanwhile Jammu earned the dubious distinction of recording one of the lowest COVID recovery rate of 43% in the country. During a meeting convened to review the alarming COVID situation in Jammu region, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh assured the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the rising cases of COVID-19 in the UT would be tackled effectively through better hospital management and containment strategy. He said that issues like shortage of oxygen cylinders, medical staff in hospitals would be resolved at the earliest.
– globalbihari bureau
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