Nagda (Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh): Amid prevailing pandemic where corona patients are losing their lives due to unavailability of oxygen, the local administration has issued a controversial order.
Following the directions of district administration, Sub Divisional Magistrate Ashutosh Goswami has prohibited local residents from refilling oxygen cylinders from private sources. This has sparked outrage from elected representatives, social organisation and Congressmen who have warned to raise protest if the decision is not withdrawn.
About 500 patients infected with novel coronavirus and other diseases are getting treatment in their homes in absence of medical facilities. Social workers like Saluja Brothers have been providing oxygen free of cost to patients with respiratory disorders. In past few days, they have supplied oxygen to more than 200 people in town but on Saturday they refused to refill the oxygen cylinders following SDM’s orders.
Sources said administration has authorised Navdeep Enterprises to refill oxygen cylinders for Government Hospital.
Cong threatens agitation
Congress acting president Subodh Swami said MLA Dilip Singh Gurjar has warned of hunger strike and protest if the SDM does not withdraw his order. This follows statement given by the SDM. “Due to inadequacy of filling stations, the oxygen is supplied from Nagda and Ujjain to Government Hospitals in Ratlam, Neemuch and Mandsaur,” Nagda SDM Ashutosh Goswami said.
