Oxygen firm ‘fleeces’ private hospitals

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 22

Four private hospitals of the city today complained to the UT Administration against overcharging by one of the oxygen suppliers.

Discontinuation of cylinder quota

Armed with sufficient oxygen cylinders, the Administration also decided to discontinue the oxygen cylinder quota fixed for the private hospitals. It has been directed that the hospitals may procure oxygen cylinders as per their requirement. However, they need to ensure judicious and optimum utilisation of cylinders. The hospitals as well as oxygen suppliers will need to share the utilisation status of the past 24 hours by 9 am every day with the authorities concerned.

Anybody who has taken any undue advantage will not be spared and lodging of an FIR will also be considered, the Administration said after a meeting with the private hospitals and oxygen refilling centres here today.

The meeting was chaired by Jagjit Singh, a PCS officer.

Some of the hospitals alleged that Super Agencies had been overcharging them for oxygen cylinders.

The hospitals complained that even though the Administration had fixed the refilling charges for ‘D’ type cylinders at Rs295, plus 12 per cent GST, they were being forced to be pay Rs600-Rs800 by the vendor.

The hospitals said since the quota and refilling vendor was fixed by the Administration, they had no option but to pay the extra amount.

The Administration has earmarked three private vendors for refilling of oxygen cylinders. It has also fixed the prices for refilling based on the category of cylinder. For a ‘D’ type cylinder, hospitals need to pay Rs295, plus 12 per cent GST, while for a ‘B’ type cylinder, they need to pay Rs175, plus 12 per cent GST. Residents can also avail of the service.

“Despite repeated calls, Super Agencies (representatives) did not attend the meeting on the pretext of being ill,” stated the Administration. The UT Administration has asked the four private hospitals – Mukut, Healing, Kare Partners and Apollo – to submit complaints in writing with regard to the issue.

Jagjit Singh will deal with the complaints, after going through facts of the case and hearing all the stakeholders.