Mohali seeks requisition of all oxygen cylinders from industry

Sanjay Bumbroo
Tribune News Service
Mohali, May 1

The district administration on Saturday ordered the requisition of all oxygen cylinders available with the industry/industrial units in the district for medical purpose.

The orders have been issued to assist, protect and provide relief to the community and put in place measures for ensuring the availability of oxygen for proper medical care of Covid-19 patients in the district in view of the emergent nature and potential magnitude of the pandemic.

Pvt cylinders not to be filled by air separation units

The order also states that in order to prevent the disruption of uninterrupted supply of oxygen for the management of patients suffering from Covid-19/non-Covid critical patients in various hospitals, oxygen cylinders owned by private individuals or firms should not be filled by air separation units (ASUs)/oxygen suppliers unless authorised to do so by the District Nodal Officer/Civil Surgeon.

Girish Dayalan, District Magistrate-cum-Chairperson, District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), said cylinders should be collected from such units after issuing a receipt and would be allocated to hospitals as per their need by the District Nodal Officer for oxygen /Civil Surgeon.

He said the cylinders taken in possession would be returned to the respective industrial units when the orders cease to be in operation, i.e., as and when the use of these cylinders are no longer required.

The order also states that in order to prevent the disruption in uninterrupted supply of oxygen for the management of patients suffering from Covid-19/non-Covid critical patients in various hospitals, oxygen cylinders owned by private individuals or firms should not be filled by air separation units (ASUs)/oxygen suppliers unless authorised to do so by the District Nodal Officer/Civil Surgeon. The management/owners of the ASUs and oxygen suppliers would be personally responsible to ensure the same.

Any violation will invite criminal proceedings under the relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

Due to a surge in Covid-19 cases in the district and in light of a huge influx of patients from other states to Punjab and the occupancy of beds reaching 90 per cent, availability of adequate and uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen was an important prerequisite for managing moderate and severe cases of Covid-19.