HEALTH MINISTER SLAMS OPPN FOR ‘POLITICISING’ OXYGEN CRISIS

NEW DELHI: Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday asked the opposition parties to stop playing politics over oxygen shortage during the second wave of Covid-19 infections and take note of the Centre’s efforts to ramp production of the lifesaving gas to meet the surge in demand.

Addressing the Lok Sabha during the question hour, he said the Union government made “all possible efforts” to ensure the availability of oxygen and increased its production following a rise in demand during the second wave of the pandemic.

“Sadly, even in such a situation, many people did not refrain from playing politics... I appeal, take note of our honest efforts. This is not a subject of politics,” he said in reply to a question on the issue raised by Congress MP Suresh Dhanorkar.

Mandaviya said the Centre sought data thrice from the states on the matter, and added 19 states responded and it’s only Punjab which stated in writing.

He said the Punjab government replied that there were four suspected cases of such deaths and a probe was underway.

“I want to say that Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) had said at the chief ministers’ meeting that there was no need to hide the number of deaths due to shortage of oxygen shortage. It ( numbers) should be reported,” the Union Health Minister said.