Lucknow: Amid acute shortage of oxygen cylinders and death of several patients due to lack of oxygen in Uttar Pradesh, there is a good Samaritan in Hamirpur district in Bundelkhand who is refilling oxygen cylinders at a cost of only Rs 1 for the treatment of coronavirus positive patients.
Manoj Gupta, owner of Rimjhim Ispat Factory in Sumerpur Industrial Area in Hamirpur, has so far refilled over 1,000 oxygen cylinders for Rs 1 only in his bottling plant to save the lives of hundreds of coronavirus positive patients.
People from Jhansi, Banda, Lalitpur, Kanpur, Orai and several other districts are making a beeline at his oxygen bottling plant to get a refill at Rs 1 only for their dear and near ones suffering from deadly coronavirus, which has so far claimed over 10,500 lives in the state.
Unable to see a large number of covid-19 positive patients suffering and dying due to acute shortage of oxygen in the state, Gupta announced to offer refilling of oxygen cylinders at Rs1 only for coronavirus positive patients. His bottling plant has a capacity of refilling 1000 oxygen cylinders per day.
Gupta’s announcement did not surprise his family members. For, they were witness to his sufferings when he himself was struck by the deadly virus last year after the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic.
“I understand the pain and trauma of covid-19 positive patients and their relatives after going through a similar ordeal last year. This is the least I can do just to thank God for saving my life,” says Gupta with tears rolling down from his eyes.
The good Samaritan claimed that oxygen is a life-saving drug and he would be too happy if he could relieve their pain and save their lives. “God saved me last year to serve people now. I am not doing any favour to them but charging Rs 1 as a cost of refilling,” smiles he, wiping tears from the corner of his eyes.
Gupta has urged all covid hospitals in Uttar Pradesh to get their cylinders refilled at his bottling plant for the treatment of covid-19 positive patients. He is offering relatives of all coronavirus positive patients under home isolation to get oxygen after submitting their RT PCR report, certificate from the doctor treating them and Aadhar card.
After hearing the news of availability of oxygen and refilling at the cost of Rs 1, many people from state capital Lucknow rushed to Hamirpur in the last two days to bring back the liquid ‘sanjeevani’ almost free of cost for their dear ones suffering from the deadly virus.
“My cousin has left Thursday morning by road with three empty cylinders for me, my wife and mother with all required documents after failing to get them refilled in Lucknow and Kanpur. I hope to get refills by Friday evening before our stock ends,” said Aseem, whose entire family is positive and under home isolation after failing to get three beds in hospital.
