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Already giving 20 MT oxygen to PGIMER out of 'our quota of 40 MT', Chandigarh admn clarifies

Chandigarh adviser Manoj Parida
Chandigarh adviser Manoj Parida

Chandigarh [India], May 9 (ANI): The Chandigarh administration has been assigned total quota of 40 MT oxygen, which includes 20 MT oxygen exclusively for Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER).

Explaining about the oxygen distribution to hospitals amid the COVID-19, Yashpal Garg, nodal officer for oxygen supplies in Chandigarh on Saturday, said the administration has been assigned a total quota of 40 MT oxygen, which includes 20 MT exclusively for the PGIMER.

Of the remaining 20 MT quota, 17 MT oxygen is given directly to GMCH-32, GMSH-16 and the dedicated hospital in Sector 48 while 3 MT is given to a private vendor in Dera Bassi to refill oxygen cylinders of all government and private hospitals.

"On Saturday, when a team of senior officials visited the plant, despite clear instructions to the vendor that the quota provided is to be used for specific hospitals, it was observed that some cylinders of the PGIMER were also being filled... This was in gross violation of directions of the UT administration," said Garg, adding that consequently directions were issued to fill PGIMER cylinders only from its quota of 20MT to avoid any disruption of supply to other hospitals.

After PGIMER flagged the issue of shortage of oxygen, UT adviser Manoj Parida said the administration is already giving 20 MT oxygen to the PGIMER out of "our quota of 40 MT".

"No more oxygen or cylinders can be given without disrupting the functioning of our government and private hospitals assigned to us. The PGIMER has requested the Government of India to enhance their quota from 20MT to 40MT. The UT administration has forwarded and strongly supported this," he said. (ANI)