Govt allows pvt hospital’s oxygen plant for 2 yrs on playground

Nagpur: The state government has given permission to Viveka Hospital to construct an oxygen plant in part of the playground at Naik Layout in South-West Nagpur. The residents have said that the playground should be restored for use by people after the end of Covid-19 pandemic.
The state’s urban development department in a letter dated May 10 to Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) chairman gave permission for an medical oxygen gas plant for the hospital in 10,000 sq ft area of the playground for a period of two years. “Land is reserved for primary school and owned by NIT. Considering existing pandemic, amendment is being approved in NIT Land Disposal Act as a special case,” the department said.
Director of Viveka Hospital Satish Lade told TOI, “Hospital operated 59 beds for Covid patients in second wave as against 39 beds in first wave. Hospital has oxygen pipeline and all necessary arrangements within the building. We could not establish plant due to lack of space. We were depended upon 200 jumbo cylinders. We faced serious problems due to lack of oxygen plant.”
Lade added, “The government has made it mandatory for hospitals with 50 or more beds to have an independent oxygen plant. Nagpur bench of Bombay high court on May 5 directed the authorities to provide government land on lease on temporary basis to private hospitals for oxygen plant. Accordingly, we submitted application to NIT seeking permission to erect plant on the land adjacent to the hospital. We will be paying lease to NIT.”
Nearby resident Ajay Kadu said, “We realize the importance of oxygen plant for a private hospital in current Covid situation. People used to play volleyball on the place where work on oxygen plant is underway. We hope NIT and government will not give the playground on permanent basis to the hospital. Also, we request authorities to ensure restoration of the playground for the people at the end of the pandemic.”
The hospital is yet to get lease of the land as formalities of paying lease from the hospital and agreement are pending.
Lade said, “We are preparing the plant as government has already projected chances of third wave. Uninterrupted supply of oxygen will help give better service to the people in the pandemic. Also, our jumbo cylinders and related infrastructure will be helpful for other hospitals, which do not have the plant.”
Kadu said, “The hospital is situated in residential area. People are cooperating in various manners. The hospital should take it as its responsibility to give preference to nearby residents when it comes to providing bed or emergency treatment.”
Corporator Pramod Tabhane said, “There is no issue if the hospital takes proper permissions and uses the land in pandemic.”
Many hospitals in the city faced problems of oxygen shortage due to lack of plant. A couple of hospitals had to discharge patients for lack of oxygen, causing serious inconvenience to patients. Viveka Hospital is probably the first to seek permission and also receive nod for using NIT’s land for oxygen plant.
Even Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has delayed opening of its hospitals for construction of oxygen plant considering shortage of jumbo cylinders.