No action on hospitals with genuine oxygen shortage: UP govt clarifies

Uttar Pradesh government on Monday clarified that action will be taken only against those hospitals who are found trying to create panic about oxygen shortage when they have adequate supply. Genuine oxygen shortage of hospitals will be addressed by the chief medical officer (CMO) and district magistrate (DM) who will try to resolve the issue.

Additional chief secretary (information) Navneet Sehgal on Monday said as the state tries to improve supply of oxygen, it is also facing issues at some places which are then later being resolved with timely supply. He said some private hospitals had recently flagged concerns of running out of oxygen- sticking notices about the same- but after investigation it was found they had adequate supply. Taking a cue from this, the chief minister in a recent statement had ordered action against people who were "spreading rumours and creating panic". He called for such action to range from being slapped with the stringent National Security Act (NSA) to seizure of property.

"Some people had tried to "misuse the chief minister's statement"," Sehgal said, clarifying action will only be against those hospitals who indulge in fear mongering when they have adequate supply of oxygen.


The opposition including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had come down heavily on Yogi, calling his statement "irresponsible" and "insensitive" and his claim of there being "no oxygen shortage" far removed from ground reality. UP minister for MSMEs and government spokesperson Sidharth Nath Singh had hit back at the opposition on Monday saying the way they were using "lies" to gain political ground and indulging in politics at a time they should be working along with the government to help people.