NGO/ social workers contest DC’s order regarding oxygen supply in Srinagar without his nod

SRINAGAR: The 6th May order of Srinagar deputy commissioner has created furor among the relatives of the Covid -19 patients resulting the infight over the oxygen cylinders outside the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital since last two days .
The private bodies and NGOs too have created furor over the DC’s order of stopping the supply of oxygen to them in the event of exigency. However, officials dismiss the argument and said that there were reports of private individuals selling the oxygen cylinders in black market at very high cost.
However, principal Srinagar Medical college Dr Saima Rashid ruled out any shortage of medical oxygen in the valley and in the hospitals in particular.
“The panic relatives of Covid-19 patients are trying to stock the oxygen cylinders which are being supplied by the private oxygen manufacturing plants in Kashmir under the government orders .The oxygen cylinders from private manufacturing plants are taken as supplement to oxygen supply of the hospital manufactured by the six plants of the hospital, otherwise, we are self-reliant in oxygen . This is unfortunate that the relatives of the patients resort to infight over the oxygen cylinders to stock three to four cylinders without any reason,” Principal Dr Saima said.
Meanwhile the authorities from Mechanical Engineering Department (MED) installed two more oxygen generation units at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital.
Two new pressure swing adsorption oxygen generating plants of 1000 LPM were installed at SMHS hospital and are operational now, Medical superintendent Dr Kawaljeet singh said.
Both the oxygen units of 1000 LPM capacity were connected to the wards, he said.
He said that after successful installation and trail of the two 1000 LPM, Pressure Swing Adsorption oxygen generating plants were made functional at SMHS hospital, adding that with the addition of the two more Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen generating plants at SMHS hospital, the total availability of the oxygen at the hospital has reached to 5600 LPM now.
Meanwhile, the NGOs and various social workers have contested the order issued by the Srinagar Dy commissioner asking oxygen manufacturing units within his jurisdiction not to supply any oxygen cylinder to any private society /NGO or private person without the prior permission of the Dy. commissioner.
However, the government official said, the order was issued in the interest of the people in view of reports of black marketing of medical oxygen had reached the office of the Srinagar deputy commissioner.
“However, the private individuals or NGO in the event of requirement can register their demand with nodal officer on mobile or WhatApp created at the Covid war room,” the official said.