‘Strict’ lockdown hits oxygen suppliers in Telangana

HYDERABAD:  The decision of the Telangana police, to strictly crack down on commuters post 10 am, hit Covid-19 relief work in many ways.

Several volunteers who have been transporting essentials like home-cooked free food for Covid-19 patients, medicines and equipment were stopped and slapped with hefty challans under the Disaster Management Act.

Twenty-eight-year-old CEO of startup Rondeyvoo Eurasia, Bharath Veer, was one amongst the many who was booked under the DM Act and asked to pay a challan of Rs 1,000 for carrying an oxygen concentrator among other Covid essentials. 

“I run a start-up on Covid-19 essentials and also deal with the e-commerce industry. Since the last 10 days, I have been travelling from my office in Bowenpally and back by taking an e-pass. We get nearly 300-400 Covid-19 orders everyday. On Saturday, at 3.30 pm I was stopped at Musheerabad while carrying a 5 litre oxygen concentrator, nearly 200 face masks, 24 cans of oxygen of 6 litre each and various other essentials which were to be given to various customers in my area. However, the police stopped me and penalised me for my relief work,” rues Bharath.

While the police held him up for over 45 minutes, the patient who had placed the urgent order for the concentrator had to look for other sources. Several non Covid-19 medical volunteers were also stopped.