BMC appoints three staffers each for timely updates on vehicles carrying oxygen to city and to check if refilling of the life-saving gas has been done properly from retailers in Taloja and Turbhe
Since these two places have two retailers supplying majorly to private and municipal hospitals, the civic body has decided to station its staff there. Pic/Ashish Raje
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now started to keep a minute watch on the supply of oxygen that majorly comes into the city, from the Taloja and Turbhe refilling stations. It has stationed three of its officers at each of these places from Tuesday, to ensure the supply reaches the city limits smoothly. After the BMC faced a nightmare shifting patients for two days due to shortage of oxygen owing to a technical glitch at the suppliers end, officials decided to position their own staff at the sites to be prepared, in case of a delay or any other problem. The civic body claims that the mere presence of the officials at the site will prevent malpractices and keep the supply undisturbed.
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BMC staff deployed there have to timely update officials on the vehicles leaving and check whether the refilling of oxygen has been done properly. This will also help the BMC find the amount of oxygen that comes into the city everyday from these two refilling points. More importantly, these officials will update seniors about sourcing liquid oxygen from elsewhere if a problem is noticed. While the big suppliers are directly routing the oxygen supply to BMC and private hospitals, it is the retailers which are to be taken care of. Since these two places have two retailers supplying majorly to private and municipal hospitals, the civic body has decided to station its staff there.
More officers on watch
The BMC has also appointed one nodal officer at each of the 24 wards to coordinate with the private hospitals, and get hourly updates and try to source oxygen wherever there is a shortfall. Further there are 6 coordinating officers — one for every four wards in the city — who coordinate with the FDA for oxygen supply.
There is also one vehicle carrying liquid oxygen in cylinders of over 500 odd litres stationed in each of the seven zones of the city. These vehicles will deliver oxygen in times of crisis to mainly smaller nursing homes and small peripheral hospitals. This will be useful to meet the supply for a few hours until a permanent solution to the shortage of oxygen supply is found, said officials.
A civic official said, “Our officers are stationed at the refilling stations to find whether the tankers have come in, and if there is enough oxygen stock available at these points, from where it will be further distributed to hospitals in the city. The mere presence of the officers in three shifts ensures that the supply is undisturbed, and this has prevented shortfall in the city for the past few days and issues that come up, are resolved immediately.”
In a perfect example of coordination with a private hospital by the civic officials on Wednesday, in over an hour after being informed about the need for oxygen, it was provided. The HJ Doshi Hindu Mahasabha, at Ghatkopar, informed them by 5.00 pm that there was a shortage of oxygen and it would be available by 6.30 pm. Civic officials sent out 9 jumbo cylinders from S ward by 6.15 pm. In addition, 15 jumbo cylinders were sent from N ward. Ambulances were also provided in case of the need to evacuate patients. At least 50 people need oxygen while 11 patients are on ventilator at the hospital.
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