Chamarajanagar Deputy Commissioner M.R. Ravi, who is facing wrath over the death of 24 COVID-19 patients in the district late on Sunday, has contested the claims of his counterpart from Mysuru over timely supply of oxygen.
He also went on to state that the Mysuru district administration did not respond properly to the medical emergency and the midnight crisis unfolding in the district hospital in Chamarajanagar on Sunday.
As the news of 24 deaths in a span of 24 hours – some due to alleged lack of oxygen –-broke out on Monday morning, the Mysuru district administration issued a circular stating that it had ensured the supply of 250 oxygen cylinders for which “there were records to show’’.
But with the heat turning on Mr. Ravi who has come under flak for not arranging adequate supply, he has issued a circular refuting claims that Chamarajanagar district received 250 oxygen cylinders.
Mr. Ravi said 66 oxygen cylinders reached him at around 1.30 p.m. on Sunday when the Liquid Medical Oxygen storage tank in the hospital got exhausted. At around 6 p.m he received 65 oxygen cylinders from a private vendor in Mysuru. There was a requirement of an additional 100 oxygen cylinders but it was not delivered on time, said Mr. Ravi.
“I personally contacted the vendor in Mysuru at 11.45 p.m. on Sunday and sought additional supplies as a result of which another 50 oxygen cylinders were delivered at 2.20 a.m (Monday). Hence the claim of the Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru (Ms.Rohini Sindhuri) that 250 oxygen cylinders were delivered, is far from truth’’, said Mr. Ravi.
He went on to state that 70 cylinders arrived on Monday at 6 a.m. of which 40 were from district administration and 30 from a private vendor. “It is clear from this that the district hospital in Chamarajanagar did not receive proper response from Mysuru district administration during the midnight crisis’’, said Mr. Ravi.
