‘State Government not yet woken up to desperate need for rationing oxygen’

Mysore/Mysuru: Hours after Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha objected to the visit of Mandya District Minister K.C. Narayanagowda and Chamarajanagar District Minister S. Suresh Kumar along with Police escort to carry oxygen cylinders from Mysuru’s refilling plants, Chamundeshwari MLA and former Minister G.T. Devegowda (GTD) said that the delay in deciding oxygen quota for each district is leading to differences between the elected representatives. “Decide the quantum of oxygen before oxygen wars erupt,” he warned. 

Interacting with reporters at his office in Jaladarshini at an emergency press conference last evening, the MLA found fault with the State Government on handling the oxygen crisis. “Both the Centre and the State Governments will be held responsible if any accident took place. There is no end for people’s suffering and the authorities have no clue on what’s happening in ground situation. All are busy giving statements to media,” he said.  

“We are sitting on a time bomb and a tragedy bigger than Chamarajanagar District COVID Hospital where 24 persons died gasping for breath is waiting to happen in Mysuru,” he warned. 

He regretted that despite crisis situation, the Government had not so far ensured equitable distribution of oxygen in districts even after the Chamarajanagar deaths. In the absence of any guidelines by the Government, he said the District in-charge Ministers of Mandya and Chamarajanagar, K.C. Narayanagowda and S. Suresh Kumar came to Mysuru and took away hundreds of cylinders with full Police security.

In the absence of a clear-cut basic oxygen supply policy, the quantity of oxygen to be supplied for the districts is not fixed and this is leading to disagreements between the district administrations, elected representatives, Ministers and officials, he said. 

“There is disagreement between Mysuru and Chamarajanagar, Mandya, Hassan and Kodagu districts in connection with the oxygen supply. Ministers and Deputy Commissioners are themselves visiting Mysuru with the Police protection to get oxygen cylinders. The Government should take immediate measures to avert a major tragedy,” he warned.

“What about the oxygen needs of people in Mysuru when the stock here is exhausted? When the Centre has allotted oxygen quota for all States, why is the State Government delaying the allotment of quota to the Districts? Are we waiting for a tragedy?” he asked. 

He said the Government as well as State officials had not yet woken up to the need for rationing oxygen.

While the State’s requirement of oxygen is 1,700 tonnes, the Centre has allotted only 850 tonnes. “We must get our full quota. If the Centre is reluctant, the MPs elected from Karnataka should go to New Delhi and demand their due and party politics must be kept aside. The MPs must stage a dharna in front of the Prime Minister,” he said. 

People from other districts are undergoing treatment in Mysuru and the district needs 70 tonnes oxygen per day, but the district is getting only 30 tonnes, he added. 

Praising the Andhra Pradesh model where all officers have been given responsibility of oxygen supply, medicine allotment and hospital management and where officers are held accountable even if there is a single death. “Here, in Karnataka, the responsibility has been fixed on Ministers. Will they perform? And there is no accountability here. In Andhra Pradesh, the system is working well while we are faltering,” he said, expressing anguish over daily deaths.