Goa government to create system to release oxygen to NGOs, private hospitals, volunteer groups

PANAJI: The state government assured the high court of Bombay at Goa that NGOs and individuals will be permitted to refill their oxygen cylinders at Scoop Oxygen and that the North Goa collector would not stall approvals for genuine cases where cylinders have to be refilled.
During the hearing on the PIL regarding oxygen shortage in Goa, advocate general Devidas Pangam informed the court that in “genuine cases, arrangements will be made to issue the necessary NOCs so that there is no serious difficulty in having these cylinders filled up”. Pangam said that the process for NGOs, like Red Cross, Rotary Club, and other individuals to refill oxygen cylinders will be streamlined by Thursday evening.
“The authorities who are to issue such NOCs will be available to such parties, so that there is no delay in issuance of NOC in genuine and deserving cases. Some system will be put in place so that there are no difficulties on this score,” Pangam said in a statement before the court.
The court “accepted as well as appreciated” the state government’s stand.
TOI had highlighted on two consecutive days how North Goa collector Ajit Roy had halted refilling of oxygen supplies and had stopped supply of oxygen to private hospitals and primary health centres (PHC) to shore up supply to GMC.
Roy has placed police personnel and revenue department officials outside Scoop Industries to ensure that oxygen is supplied only to GMC and that cylinders of private hospitals and other oxygen suppliers are not refilled unless accompanied by his permission.
The state government also made it mandatory for medical oxygen suppliers and manufactures to refill oxygen cylinders for citizens and volunteer groups only if accompanied by a prescription issued by a PHC or government doctor at any of the Covid-19 hospitals in the state.
“Our entire revenue staff is placed at the supplier’s manufacturing unit and we were monitoring from time to time the outward movement of each trolley,” health secretary Ravi Dhawan said.