Noida turns to Ghaziabad suppliers, asks for 675 more oxygen cylinders

NOIDA: To tackle oxygen shortage in Gautam Budh Nagar, the administration on Sunday sought help from suppliers in neighbouring Ghaziabad district. It has asked for 675 additional oxygen cylinders for Covid hospitals.
“We have written to those who operate oxygen plants urging them to increase the supply of cylinders to Noida and Greater Noida hospitals. Although we have more active patients and more beds compared to many other places, our supply is getting diverted. We are asking Ghaziabad to augment our supply. Goyal Gases Private Limited has been asked to give 675 additional oxygen cylinders for nine Covid hospitals in GB Nagar,” district magistrate Suhas LY said.
GB Nagar gets around 700 D-type cylinders (known as jumbo cylinders) daily from manufacturers in Ghaziabad. It has now cited a demand of 1,375 cylinders. The agency has capacity to produce 100 tonnes of oxygen on a daily basis. While Gautam Budh Nagar is getting 20% of it, Ghaziabad gets 47% of the supply. Delhi gets 25% and the remaining oxygen is sent to Aligarh, Meerut and Bulandshahr.
The general manager of the plant could not be contacted for a comment. GB Nagar administration had sought permission from senior officials of the state government in Lucknow before approaching oxygen manufacturers in Ghaziabad. Hospitals in Noida have been struggling to match the oxygen demand for over a week now. In fact, many Covid facilities sen SOS messages to patients’ relatives citing inadequate oxygen pressure in their wards.
The problem has been equally acute for most government hospitals. Both Noida Covid Hospital, Sector 39, and Child PGI, Sector 30, are having difficulties in supporting their patients in ICUs. In Greater Noida, GIMS has an oxygen storage plant of its own and the facility has not faced critical supply issues yet.