Tuesday 19 Mar 2024

Now, people begin hoarding O2 cylinders

THE GOAN NETWORK | MAY 09, 2021, 01:03 AM IST

MAPUSA

With Covid-19 cases continuing to surge, people have now started hoarding oxygen cylinders as a precautionary measure.

This hoarding has created artificial scarcity of oxygen cylinders thereby affecting the prospects of those in need.

Swar Gas Sales Corporation, a trading company which deals with medical oxygen cylinders in Mapusa, is facing acute shortage of cylinders as people who have taken the cylinders refuse to return them.

“In these days of uncertainty, people are in fear that if they get Covid infection the oxygen cylinder will come in handy for them. But what their action has done is deprived people who actually need oxygen,” said Harshad Swar, partner of Swar Gas Sales Corporation, Mapusa.

Swar Gas Sales Corporation has been in the gas business for the last 65 years and supplies both medical and industrial oxygen to clients and caters to North Goa.

According to Swar, his company stores 200 oxygen cylinders but 60 percent of the stock is out with people who have taken the cylinders by paying the deposit.

“On an average, I get 100 to 150 calls everyday from different parts of Goa enquiring about oxygen gas cylinders. People call up even from Goa Medical College and Hospital post midnight but I am helpless for want of cylinders,” Swar laments.

He said buying and stocking new cylinders is also of no help as regulators were in short supply.

He made a fervent appeal to the public not to hoard the cylinders as the needy would be deprived of the facility.

“People who have taken the oxygen cylinders and do not require them for the moment should return the cylinders so that we can reach out to those who are really in need,” Swar said.


Share this