Hyderabad: Vendors running oxygen cylinder biz on the sly

HYDERABAD: Not just medical stores, even vendors of different goods such as groceries and toys are now risking their business to sell oxygen cylinders in the wake of rising coronavirus cases in the city. Hyderabad police, during its investigation, has found out that several small businessmen in a bid to make quick money, are procuring oxygen cylinders and making huge profits by selling the same.
With rumours going around over a shortage of oxygen cylinders in the city, many have started hoarding it illegally — without permission from concerned authorities such as the Drug Control Authority and Controller of Explosives. Meanwhile, senior government officials have held a review meeting to increase availability of oxygen cylinders. Many are buying oxygen cylinders as a pre-emptive measure by approaching spurious vendors and stocking them at their homes. So far, sleuths have busted four cases and recovered over 100 cylinders.
In some cases, sellers are contacting interested persons by visiting various government hospitals and are allegedly making profits of over 100%. Before the pandemic, a 10-kilo oxygen cylinder was available for around ?4,000 but now there have been cases of it being sold at ?13,000. Police have identified some units in Jeedimetla and Nacharam, which have refilled oxygen cylinders. “No company can sell it to anyone who does not have the requisite license,’’ task force DCP Radha Kishan Rao told STOI.
During investigation, it was found that some employees of oxygen refilling companies had been illegally supplying to unauthorised persons. “In one case, a person caught in Musheerabad owns a toy shop. Similarly in another case, the accused runs a grocery store and ran a oxygen cylinder business in secret,” said an official.
Meanwhile, a delegation of NGO representatives met Hyderabad police brass and them to permit them to supply oxygen cylinders to those in need. However, police said that action will be taken against anyone found selling or supplying oxygen cylinders without obtaining proper licenses.