AMN
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has asked states and UTs to create a pool of trained drivers for transporting “Hazardous Cargo” due to an increase in the need for transportation of Liquid Oxygen. It has asked states and UTs to quickly skill drivers with training in handling hazardous chemicals and liquid oxygen handling through a short program and apprenticeship.
The Ministry said HMV license holders should also be skilled in hazardous chemicals and LMO handling through short program and apprenticeship. States and UTs have been requested to recommend some local drivers with HMV / hazardous chemical license to opt for these training programs.
It has also been advised that liquid oxygen tanker drivers must be facilitated with a special Covid vaccination drive and priority in admission and treatment in hospitals, in case they are found Covid infected. Only trained drivers with adequate training and having ‘hazardous cargo’ license are allowed to operate the Liquid Oxygen trucks.
Therefore, there is an urgent need to make a large pool of trained drivers available who can supplement and replace the existing drivers, keeping in mind 24×7 operations.