Noida residents start O2 banks for home patients
NOIDA: Some citizen groups in Noida and Greater Noida have started oxygen refilling banks to help Covid-19 patients in home isolation in housing societies, with the help of the city administration.
The Noida federation of apartment owners’ association (NOFAA), an umbrella body of at least 70 residents’ bodies in Noida, the Noida Extension flat owners’ welfare association (NEFOWA), and the Sector 50 residents’ welfare association (RWA), among some others, are partaking in the initiative.
While the Sector 50 association is going to provide the service at a nominal rate set by the government, the other bodies will provide it free of charge. They said cylinders can be refilled or exchanged for filled ones. The service will be rendered as soon as possible.
“We wanted to start it midapril itself, when the Covid-19 situation started deteriorating, but could not due to non-availability of oxygen. However, now the nodal officer has assured us of 48 oxygen cylinders beginning Thursday, regularly. We will start helping wherever Covid-19 patients in home isolation need it,” said Abhishek Kumar, president of NEFOWA.
He said they will refill cylinders in multiple housing societies including Gaur Saundrayam, Ecocity, and Panchsheel, among others, in Greater Noida West. The residential bodies said people in need can contact their local RWA representative for the services.
Narendra Bhooshan, the chief executive officer of Greater Noida authority, who is the Covid-19 nodal officer of Gautam Budh Nagar, said that now the supply of oxygen will soon start to get normalised as per the demand.
However, he did not specify what the demand and supply ratio is or how much of it will be met.
“We will soon get additional oxygen supply from Jharkhand and other areas. We will be able to provide the required oxygen to citizen groups and normalise supply to hospitals as we are working to address the issue,” said Bhooshan.
The Sector 50 RWA, meanwhile, said it will provide oxygen at the community centre only.
“Patients in need can come and get oxygen at the community centre,” said Vimal Sharma, president of the Sector 50 RWA, adding that they have about 10 oxygen cylinders.
Rajiva Singh, president of the NOFAA, said that they are helping patients in 12 societies, located in sectors 50, 74 and other areas. “We are arranging cylinders from Faridabad and other areas. And now we have got assurance from the admin for a refill,” said Singh.