A writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking appropriate measures on a war footing to ensure that sufficient quantity of oxygen is made available to the petitioner hospital as soon as is humanly possible so that the precious lives of Covid-19 patients could be saved. (Crystal Hospital Ltd. And Anr. v State of Maharashtra)
The petitioner is a Covid hospital with 90 beds of which 13 have high-tech ICU facilities committed to social cause and the welfare of the commonwealth, wanted to make available the entire facility for Covid treatment.
The petitioner hospital submitted since a month ago, oxygen was denied to it by IndoGas due to which the petitioner hospital had to shift patients to other hospitals. When there was a crisis because of the great shortage of beds and ICU facilities for the treatment of Covid patients, the petitioner hospital, one well equipped with all modern, hybrid facilities for Covid treatment, is forced to remain handicapped, practically closed.
The petitioner hospital complained to the Police, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, and even to the Chief Justice of India in regard to the oxygen denied by the heartless and unscrupulous Indo Gas, even though the Petitioner Hospital was willing to pay 5 times the approved rates for oxygen instead the Indo Gas demanded 10 times that price.
The Petitioner Hospital prays State of Maharashtra, Union of India, Municipal Corporation of Bombay, the District Magistrate, Bombay Suburban District, the Police authorities to take appropriate action against Indo Gas Agency for selling oxygen cylinders in the black market and refusing to supply to the Petitioner Hospital, which they are obligated to do, the Petitioner Hospital being a designated COVID hospital, and thereby endangering lives.
Further, the Petitioner Hospital also prays to the Court to pass an appropriate order considering the problems faced by the Petitioner Hospital and also by many designated hospitals due the artificial shortage which has been created by anti-social and inhuman elements, with the sole purpose of unduly enriching at the cost of the lives of fellow human beings.
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In the interim, the Petitioner Hospital has asked the court to direct the authorities to make available oxygen to the Petitioner Hospital so that it could treat Covid patients and fully utilize the facilities at a time where there is scarcity.