MYSURU: While the country is seeing states fight over their share of oxygen, in confrontation and intervention of the courts, Karnataka is witnessing a fight over medical oxygen brewing between districts. Mysuru, and its neighbours, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu, which lack any oxygen generation and refilling facilities, as well as nearby Hassan, have gotten into a row following the recent tragedy which killed nearly 24 people due to a lack of oxygen in the Chamarajanagara Distrct Hospital.
The districts are witnessing unprecedented scenes, such as Mandya district in-charge minister K C Narayan Gowda arriving with police to take possession of 350 refilled oxygen cylinders, which reportedly are its quota, from a private refilling unit in Mysuru as per an MoU, following complaints over denial of the gas. Similarly, Chamarajanagar district incharge minister S Suresh Kumar and the DC also reportedly arrived in Mysuru to take their stock of oxygen, much to the chagrin of representatives and party colleagues there.
Disappointed with such happenings, MLAs of Mysuru and the MP have raised their voice. In a strongly-worded rebuttal, Mysuru MP Pratap Simha, who now heads the task force for oxygen and Remdesivir management in the district, said such pressure tactics and acts are unacceptable and will be prevented in future. Flaying the argument by Mandya and Chamarajanagar authorities that they are only taking what is agreed under the MoU, Pratap Simha said that currently, oxygen is being given to other districts on a humanitarian basis and taking control of it is unacceptable.
He added that IP cameras linked to a control room will be installed at refilling plants and at the distributors’ end to monitor ‘unauthorised’ refilling, though he did not mention the interference from neighbouring districts. Later in the day, addressing an interaction, MLA GT Devegowda also highlighted the delay in deciding oxygen quota for each district.
He said that oxygen wars are happening between neighbouring districts in the region, and added that Mysuru is already getting less than its demand. “What is the Chief Secretary doing? Are the officials sleeping? Despite an incident in Chamarajanagar, why is there a delay in deciding a quota?” he asked. Meanwhile, reacting to the statement of Pratap Simha, Suresh Kumar said his visit to Mysuru was only to understand the process and bottlenecks first hand and added that he does not practice impulsive actions or pressure tactics.
EXPERTS VISIT CHAMARAJANAGAR HOSPITAL TO TAKE STOCK
In the wake of the recent deaths of Covid patients in the Chamarajanagar District Hospital, a team of experts visited the facility and looked into case sheets and condition of patients. The team comprising Mysuru District Hospital RMO Dr Nayaz Pasha and PKTB Hospital Superintendent Dr Veerupasha spoke to a few patients, duty doctors and authorities, and will submit a report in two days to the government.