Notwithstanding the Supreme Court directive on those complaining about the shortage of oxygen the Lucknow Police had lodged an FIR against a hospital in the city because it reportedly put up a notice that since there is shortage of oxygen, the relatives of those corona, or even non-corona patients, who are on oxygen support, should take their wards to different hospitals to save their lives.
According to the hospital management, it put up this notice on May 3 keeping in mind the danger to life of the patients.
It needs to be mentioned that the Supreme Court has recently said that contempt of court notice would be served if the police take any action against those complaining about the shortage of oxygen or any corona-related mismanagement such as non-availability of beds in hospital. Even action cannot be taken on social media posts which highlight such shortage. Even if the posts are wrong the police should refrain from taking action.
Meanwhile, the said hospital has moved the High Court against the Lucknow Police FIR.
However, the Lucknow Police alleged that the hospital notice was put up with the intention of spreading rumour about oxygen shortage and thus indulging in black-marketing. The police also charged that after the investigation it was found that the hospital had substantial amount of oxygen.
On the other hand, the hospital management was quoted in NDTV as saying that there were in all 38 patients on May 3, all on oxygen support. Since there was no supply of oxygen from the government in spite of the fact that the hospital made repeated pleas to the district authorities, the management said that it was only at about 5:00 in the morning that the health hub alerted the people that it is going to run short of oxygen in the next five hours. The hospital management hotly denied the charge of hoarding levelled by the police.
