KOLAR: An oxygen-generating plant that was sanctioned to the General Hospital at KGF has been shifted to Tumakuru in a last-minute decision by the government raising many eyebrows. Officials at KGF had completed all the preliminary work to install the plant when they were told that it had been shifted to Tumakuru.
It was one of the two units sanctioned by the Central Government to the State -- one was to KGF and the other to HD Kote in Mysuru district. Sources said that first, the district administration received orders from the State Government on the allotment of the plant, and Deputy Commissioner Dr Selvamani deputed two senior officials, including an engineer from the City Municipality, to arrange for the crane and other equipment to install the plant.
KGF District Surgeon Dr Shiva Kumar too had identified the spot to install it. But by evening, the district administration received orders that it had been shifted to Tumakuru. Kolar MP S Muniswamy said allotting the oxygen plant, which generates 500 litres of oxygen per minute, would have saved hundreds of lives at the 100-bed KGF General Hospital.