A few weeks after the demand for oxygen cylinders shot up in Hyderabad leading to possible shortage at hospitals, the health and police departments have launched a crackdown on illegal hoarding and sale, starting Friday night.
While police arrested two persons for illegally selling oxygen cylinders to individuals, the State’s Drug Control Administration (DCA) found discrepancies during inspections at one manufacturing unit and held 14 distributors.
Massive hoarding
With the spike in COVID cases in the city, family members of patients started renting out oxygen cylinders when the patient developed respiratory distress. A few others booked cylinders and stored in advance, anticipating that their patient might develop respiratory problems. This led to a rise in demand for oxygen cylinders.
Speaking to The Hindu, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Task Force) P. Radha Kishan Rao said that on Friday night, sleuths of West Zone team raided a premise near Seven Tombs in Golconda police station limits and apprehended a 34-year-old man, who was illegally selling oxygen cylinders.
For the past couple of years, the accused, Mohd Omer, was running the business without a valid licence from the Controller of Explosives and the Drugs Control Administration, Mr. Rao said. Police seized 25 oxygen cylinders, including eight cylinders weighing 70 kg and seven weighing 40 kg. Omer was apprehended and handed over to Golconda police.
On Thursday, the Task Force nabbed one Ibrahim with four cylinders, near Niloufer Hospital. “We nabbed Omer through him,” Mr. Rao said.
According to the officer, a 10 kg cylinder is sold at ₹11,000 and further ₹1,100 is needed to refill it. “Many people are hoarding due to the crisis,” he said. “Stringent action will be taken against those selling and buying oxygen cylinders without obtaining permissions from the authorities concerned,” he added.
DCA inspections
Telangana Drug Control Administration (DCA) officials inspected 44 distributors and 14 manufacturers of oxygen cylinders across the State from Saturday morning to evening, to check if the cylinders are supplied only to hospitals and licence-holders.
“They will be issued showcause notices. Based on their reply, if it is a major discrepancy, their licences will be cancelled,” said DCA director Dr. Preeti Meena.
Officials said that issuance of cylinders to any other entity in the name of NGOs or individual shall not be permitted. Surprise checks of distributors shall be carried out periodically to ensure it. They added that cases will be booked if the oxygen cylinders are sold at prices higher than the ceiling prices fixed by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).
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