The Centre on Thursday clarified there was no pendency of oxygen concentrators, received as international aid, with the Indian customs, and the entire shipment of about 3,000 of them was either delivered or dispatched to hospitals across the country.
“The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has clarified that there is no such pendency with Indian Customs. The Indian Customs is swiftly clearing all consignments & no such figures of pendency exist across any port of import,” said Union health ministry in a statement on Thursday.
“It has been reported in some sections of the media that oxygen concentrators are pending at the Customs warehouse for getting clearance from the Custom authorities. The news is totally incorrect, not based on facts and without any basis.”
In all, 3,000 oxygen concentrators have been received from various countries as the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic has overwhelmed India hospitals and triggered a shortage of essential medical supplies and equipment.
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{{/usCountry}}The concentrators are either being delivered to the identified tertiary care institutions or have been dispatched for delivery, the statement said. The relief material has been dispatched through road and air, too.
There are no oxygen concentrators lying in the warehouse of the customs department, the health ministry clarified.
“The Indian customs is sensitive to the need for availability of Covid related imports including oxygen and oxygen related equipment etc and are working 24x7 to fast track and clear the goods on arrival and lead to expeditious clearance within hours. The goods are given high priority for clearance by the customs systems for processing over other goods. While the nodal officers get alerts on email for monitoring and clearance, monitoring by senior officers for pendency of Covid related imports is also being undertaken,” the health ministry statement said.
“Recently, the matter regarding a consignment of 3,000 oxygen concentrators lying with customs authorities came up in the Delhi High Court and the same was clarified by the government counsel that presently no such consignment is pending with custom authorities.”