Delhi govt sets up web portal to streamline oxygen distribution

Amid an acute shortage of medical oxygen in the national capital, the Delhi government has set up a web portal to streamline distribution of the life-saving gas to coronavirus patients in home isolation, non-Covid hospitals, and nursing homes, an official order said on Wednesday.

The portal -- delhi.gov.in -- will go live on May 6 and those requiring oxygen can apply with a valid photo id, Aadhar card details, Covid positive report and other documents like CT scan report if available, the order said.

According to the order, district magistrates shall identify "dedicated dealers/depots to distribute such cylinders to individuals who shall not be redirected to refilling plants under any circumstances".

"The district magistrates shall ensure that adequate number of office personnel are assigned to scrutinise all incoming applications and issue e-passes quickly as time is of essence in such cases,” the order said.

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“This may be accorded top priority. The DMs shall ensure that the dealers regularly get their cylinders refilled from the designated refilling plants," the order added.

Based on the stock availability, the district magistrates will issue a pass having the date, time and address of the dealer/depot from where the oxygen cylinder can be issued/exchanged, it said.

Before issuing the pass, the district magistrates must ensure that filled oxygen cylinder is available as per the pass issued, it added.

The district magistrates will ensure that the distribution of lump sum allocation is done "judiciously and equitably between individuals, non-Covid hospitals, nursing homes, ambulances and SOS cylinders of Covid hospitals running on LMO (liquid medical oxygen)", the order said.

The order said a provision of lump sum allocation of oxygen (to be given through cylinders) for individuals, non-Covid hospitals, nursing homes , ambulances and SOS cylinders of Covid hospitals running on LMO had already been made against re-fillers with each district being assigned a re-filler.