Hyderabad,  Telangana has shown the way to the country by using war planes to airlift oxygen tankers, the state government said on Sunday.

It claims to be working to the maximum of public welfare and in many cases embarked on innovative ideas to get the work done. At a time when the corona is booming, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has once again launched an ideal innovative initiative for the country with the aim of saving the people in times of need in the face of increased demand for oxygen to corona patients, said the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

Realizing that a lot of time would be wasted moving oxygen from distant places through tankers, the chief minister decided to move oxygen cylinders by war planes. "Such an idea is ideal for the country, at emergency times. Thus CM KCR taught an understanding of the immediate decisions that rulers must make for the public good in difficult times, and the programs that must be implemented on a war footing," adds the CMO.

The CMO also released a video of the airlifting of oxygen tankers to Odisha. It claims that Telangana is the first state in the country to use aircrafts to transport oxygen tankers. Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar said for the first time vacant oxygen tankers were sent by aircrafts from Hyderabad or anywhere in the country to another place to save time and lives.

According to the chief secretary, Telangana was self-sufficient with 100 tonnes of oxygen but the requirement has gone up four times. "The Government of India allotted us oxygen at places which are very far off. To get additional 260 tonnes, the tankers take six days. By airlifting the tankers, we will not only be saving three days' time but we can save many lives," he said.

Nine empty oxygen tankers from Hyderabad were airlifted to Odisha on April 24 (Friday) to bring back oxygen faster to the state for supply to hospitals treating Covid patients.

Two C-17 planes of Indian Air Force (IAF) were used to airlift the tankers from Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad to liquid oxygen plants in Odisha.

Health minister Eatala Rajender and Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar supervised the airlifting operation at the airport.

The health minister said the tankers will return by road to the state by April 27.