As India battles a severe second wave of COVID-19, the Indian Air Force?is going all out to assist the nation in fighting back against?the unprecedent surge in the cases.
Amid the continue shortage of oxygen across?the country which?has left Covid patients gasping for breath, IAF has?deputed the big boys - C-17 and IL-76 transport aircraft - to airlift oxygen tankers to the filling stations across the country to speed up the distribution of oxygen cylinders.?
On Thursday night, IAF airlifted three empty oxygen containers to Panagarh in West Bengal where they will be filled up and supplied to different centres for Covid relief at a time when the country is reeling under the pandemic.?
Two C-17 aircraft ferried two empty Linde cryogenic oxygen containers while?IL-76 airlifted one Inox empty container.?
Indian Air Force's C-17 Globemaster fleet of 11 aircraft has Hindon Air Force Station as it's home base and each aircraft can ferry a cargo of 77 tonnes. The IL-76 on the other hand has a maximum payload capacity of 48 tonnes.?
The IAF has deployed its aircraft for airlifting medical personnel, oxygen containers, oxygen cylinders, trolleys and essential medicines to places where they are needed.
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With India reeling under an unprecedented public health emergency, its hospitals stretched thin by a staggering number of coronavirus cases and deaths being attributed to scarcity of beds, oxygen and medicines, IAF has stepped in to provide a much needed helping hand.?
While the IAF ferried three oxygen containers on Thursday, it said that similar tasks are already underway across the country. Each aircraft will be airlifting one big oxygen container to filling stations and from there on they will be supplied to states facing the shortage.?
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The development will come as a relief to many states facing acute oxygen shortage. Over the last few days, Chief Ministers of various states have be pleading with the centre to ramp up the supply of oxygen.?
The centre is also mulling to rope in the IAF for flying in containers and equipment from abroad that can be used for carrying oxygen. This will augment the supply of oxygen in the country to deal with the COVID-19 crisis.
According to India Today?citing government source, the planning for the same is on and there should be more clarity on it soon.?
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