At a virtual conference, convened by the commerce ministry in early May 2021, the All India Motors Transport Congress (AIMTC) is known to have urged the government to allow free mobility along with provision of food and water for oxygen tanker drivers on RORO (Tankers on Rail and Air). Sources claim that the AIMTC core committee chairman Bal Malkit Singh also stressed on the provision of financial help (either by the government or oxygen manufacturers) for the oxygen tanker transporters to meet the treatment cost of the drivers affected by Covid-19. Drawing attention to the discussion on seamless transportation of oxygen in the country amid its acute shortage in the wake of second Covid wave, sources explain that the meeting was chaired by commerce and industry ministry joint secretary Sureshkumar Nair. They reveal that other than Nair, oxygen manufacturers like Linde, Inox and UPL participated in the meeting. There were representatives of Indian Chemical Council and Road Safety Council also.
Stating that Singh mentioned about some drivers going into the rural parts of the country and testing positive every day, sources inform that the cost of treatment of such drivers was as much as Rupees-three to Rs.3.5 lakh, It was being borne by the respective transporters employing them, affecting badly their ability to sustain. Calling for fixed cost payment to the transporters on a per-kilometre-running-per-month basis (as in normal times) in consultation with the stakeholders, Singh at the meeting, according to sources called for timely payment, rewards, and incentives to the transporters engaged in the oxygen supply chain by the oxygen manufacturers.
AIMTC, in a statement issued post the meeting, is known to point at eradicating fear among the drivers by conducting periodic counseling sessions, providing priority vaccination to the drivers, and giving them Covid-19 insurance cover. The statement read that the government has extended its support for hazardous goods bridge training for heavy commercial vehicle drivers, and to facilitate the supply of trained drivers for oxygen tankers.