Gorakhpur tragedy: Incident not due to lack of oxygen supply says firm

It was alleged that the private contractor stopped supplying oxygen cylinders over a payment dispute.

Amid the uproar over the death of over 60 children in BRD Medical College hospital in Gorakhpur, the agency which supplies oxygen cylinder to the hospital claimed that the tragedy has not occurred due to lack of oxygen cylinders.

Pushpa Gas agency, which supplies the oxygen cylinders, said the company is aware of consequences of the shortage of oxygen cylinders, saying ''no one can stop supply like this''.

Meenu Walia, HR Pushpa Gas agency, said: ''Deaths not due to oxygen supply cut-off, no one can stop supply like this, we know consequences.''

She alleged that the concerned authorities never responded to the pending payments. ''Repeatedly communicated about pending payments to concerned authorities but never got a response,'' she said.

Earlier, it was alleged that the private contractor stopped supplying oxygen cylinders over a payment dispute.

The doctors at the BRD Medical College hospital said that they pleaded with the firm for the restoration of services as one child after another collapsed. The management initiated the process to clear the dues of Rs 22 lakh to the company. The company officials have agreed to send a liquid oxygen tanker and this is expected to reach the hospital either by evening today or on Sunday morning.

In his defence, Deepankar Sharma of Pushpa Gas agency said that he had informed the BRD authorities about the Rs 68,58, 596 dues despite the terms and condition of the agreement with the hospital clearly mentioning that arrears would not be more than Rs 10 lakh.

(With agency inputs)