| Who is responsible for missing deadline of oxygen plants? | | In Oct 2020, Govt had announced to make all 37plants functional with four months | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 28: On October 10, 2020, when Jammu’s premier health institute-Government Medical College (GMC), was reeling under the acute scarcity of life-saving Oxygen, Atal Dulloo, Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education had announced that tenders worth Rs 223 crores have already been floated to set-up oxygen plants in 37 hospitals across J&K.
He rather claimed that bids have been received and works would be allotted within a week’s time.
Six months have been passed after floating the tenders but none of the Oxygen plant has been set up till date- which is an indication of the casual approach being adopted by the authorities to improve health infrastructure in J&K.
In the month of October 2020, it was announced that all these 37 oxygen plants would be made functional within a maximum time of four months but these plants have missed the deadline.
“Fifty percent of the project cost stand released. The basic aim of having oxygen plants in all hospitals is to avoid referrals from districts. When you have oxygen and other facilities available, the referrals will be reduced to a large extent,” Dulloo had announced in the month of October.
Sources said that Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of these projects were prepared in the month of September 2020 and submitted to the Health Department for action.
Shockingly after the passing of six months, the construction of these plants is still going on.
On April 5 this year, Atal Dulloo said in order to augment oxygen generation in hospitals, DPRs amounting to Rs 212 cr were prepared.
“This has been sanctioned by the government for the establishment of oxygen generation plants, manifold and medical gas pipelines in associated hospitals of all Govt. Medical Colleges, District Hospitals and SKIMS Soura” he said.
Dulloo said the move will further strengthen the public health system and enable long-term systematic augmentation of medical oxygen availability in a cost-effective manner. |
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