UP CM says there was shortage of oxygen supply during second Covid wave

Agra: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday admitted that there was indeed shortage of oxygen supply during the peak of Covid second wave. Earlier, in April, the UP CM had categorically denied any crisis of oxygen in any public or private Covid hospital in the state.

Addressing a group of doctors in Agra on Sunday, the CM said, “Shortage of oxygen supply was noticed during the second wave… usually resources fall short during the pandemic… and this was the century’s largest pandemic, but the government worked on a war footing to provide oxygen cylinders to every district.”

The CM further said that oxygen plants are being set up in every district of the state. “Around 300 plants have already been established out of the total 552,” he said, adding that the remaining will be completed soon.

In April, as people faced oxygen shortage in every part of the country, Yogi Adityanath speaking during a virtual interaction with editors of different newspapers had said, “There is no shortage of oxygen in any Covid hospital, be it private or government. The problem is black marketing and hoarding, which will be tackled with a heavy hand. We are going to conduct an oxygen audit in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, IIM Lucknow and IIT BHU for proper monitoring of oxygen. The system of live tracking of oxygen demand, supply and distribution will be implemented.”

Adityanath had also said that oxygen was not in short supply provided only the needy use it. “Every infected patient does not need oxygen, cooperation is expected from the media in increasing awareness about this,” he had said.

He had also acknowledged that there were some initial problems in increasing the number of hospital beds in the state but they were quickly overcome.