Baddi unit sells 706 oxygen cylinders, booked

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, May 1

A case has been registered against Indo Gases, an oxygen producer at Baddi, for selling more than 706 oxygen cylinders to 36 companies and individuals after April 19 though it was authorised to sell only medical oxygen.

• Also read: Himachal to seize undeclared Oxygen cylinders
• Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital oxygen plant opens

Besides, the company violated the April 25 directions of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs banning the use of oxygen for non-essential purposes and sold cylinders up to April 29.

The Centre has declared medical oxygen as a critical commodity in view of its rising demand for Covid patients. The company had a licence of medical oxygen valid till March 23 but it sold oxygen to industries in violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

A joint inspection conducted by a committee headed by Solan Additional DC (ADC) Anurag Chander Sharma, SDM (Nalagarh) Mahinder Pal, Baddi SP Rohit Malpani, Deputy Commissioner (State Taxes and Excise) Varun Katoch, Deputy Director (Industries) Sanjay Kanwar and State Drugs Controller Navneet Marwaha yesterday found large-scale irregularities in the stock at Indo Gases.

Based on the findings, a recommendation was sent to DC KC Chaman. “As the licence was sought under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, oxygen is considered a drug under the Act and the sale of oxygen cylinders for industrial use is a violation,” recommended the State Drugs Controller.

Chaman said, “The Baddi SP has been directed to register an FIR and investigate the matter. The SDM, Nalagarh, has also been directed to collect all cylinders sold to local industries”.

The SP said that a case under Section 3 of the Epidemic Act, Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act, and Sections 188 and 336 of the IPC had been registered against Gurdeep Chandel of Indo Gases at Baddi police station. A probe was underway.

A scrutiny of the e-way bills of the company led to a list of beneficiaries, including Ghaziabad-based SNJ Distribution, who was sold a total of 453 oxygen cylinders on April 24, 25 and 27. Besides, oxygen cylinders had been sold to private individuals, resorts, housing apartments and several industries, including those manufacturing batteries, cosmetics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and adhesives.

Issues like the price at which the cylinders were sold would also be enquired into. As against prices ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 per cylinder, as high as Rs 62,000 had been sought in some cases, said officials probing the case.

The sales records were examined electronically by the Deputy Commissioner, State Taxes and Excise, as well as through the e-way portal. Enquiries revealed that both empty and filled oxygen cylinders had been supplied in various parts of the country in violation of the April 25 orders of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Solan District Magistrate.

In the dock

Indo Gases, an oxygen producer at Baddi, has been booked for selling more than 706 oxygen cylinders to 36 companies and individuals after April 19

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.