Getting an O2 refill still an arduous task

Citizens allege mismanagement, say they have to battle long queues for 8 to 12 hours to get the cylinders refilled

THE GAS STATION AT TALKATORA TOO WITNESSED LONG QUEUES OF PEOPLE, WHO WAITED FOR HOURS TO GET THE GAS CYLINDERS RE-FILLED.

Refilling an oxygen cylinder is still a struggle for people, even though the state government has made elaborate arrangements to make liquid medical oxygen (LMO) available to gas stations in the state capital and adjoining districts.

Alleging mismanagement, people said they had to confront minimum 8 to 12 hours queues to get the cylinder refilled.

“I never thought that after Covid 19, I would be left to battle these long queues to get the oxygen for my ailing father,” said Prashant Shukla (name changed), who went all the way from Indira Nagar to a gas station in Bakshi Ka Talab, to get the an oxygen cylinder re-filled.

Prashant said there was no option but brave long queues to get the oxygen. “I am getting it for my father who is on oxygen support. He has one cylinder but I am here to get another back-up cylinder re-filled. However, after coming here I realised that getting a cylinder re-filled is not easy,” he said.

Shukla said it was a surprise to see the gas station employees working casually, without the slightest worry that lives of thousands were at stake. “They don’t want to take much pain. They have an apathetic approach, though their role is so crucial. Despite knowing that delay can lead to the death of the patient, they prefer to work at ease,” he added.

It took almost 8 hours for him to get the cylinder re-filled.

The situation is no different at other gas stations here. The gas station at Tal Katora too witnessed long queues of people, who waited for hours to get the gas cylinder re-filled.

As per the records with the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA), the city presently has two oxygen manufacturing plants—Murari Gases Private Ltd and Parerthat Industrial Enterprises Pvt Ltd. Besides, there are four oxygen refilling plants in the state capital. The FSDA officials said that after April 15, around 6,800 to 7,000 oxygen cylinders were in demand on a daily basis that is resulting in oxygen crisis. Officials also said that majors like SGPGI, KGMU and Lohia hospital had their own liquid oxygen tank, each of 20,000 litre capacity.

Gas station officials, however, are hopeful that things will get improve once the oxygen supply gets streamlined. On Monday, the city got around 30,000 litres of oxygen.

FSDA officials preferred to stay mum. “We have been told to not issue any statement over distribution of oxygen and related issues. It is only higher officials who can tell anything about the distribution of gas,” said Brijesh Yadav, drug inspector, Lucknow.