Clear dues or we stop oxygen supply: Gas company’s Aug 8 letter to Gorakhpur BRD Medical college

The letter written by a representative of Pushpa Sales in Gorakhpur mentions that payments to the tune of Rs 63, 65, 702 were due despite several reminders submitted in the past to Baba Raghav Das Medical College.

A Lucknow-based company, which switched off the supply of oxygen cylinders to Gorakhpur’s Baba Raghav Das Medical College that allegedly led to the death of 30 children, had issued an ultimatum to hospital authorities in a letter on August 8.

Relatives look after their children at the Baba Raghav Das Hospital in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh on August 11, 2017.(AFP Photo)

The letter – a copy of which is with Hindustan Times – was written by a representative of Pushpa Sales to the principal of the BRD Medical College and mentioned pending dues of Rs 63,65,702 till August 1 and demanded payment for the same.

The letter said the company had decided to supply stock for the next 4-5 days on the day the letter was handed over to hospital authorities but warned the supply might get hampered if the dues were not cleared.

“INOX, the firm we are taking oxygen supply from, has expressed inability to continue the supply of oxygen in future, in case we fail to make payments to them,” said the letter from Dipankar Sharma of Pushpa Sales to principal BRD Medical College.

This letter also mentioned that payments were due despite several reminders submitted in the past as well. “Therefore it is requested to clear our dues else we might not be able to continue supply in future. It will not be our responsibility,” read the letter.

The letter was sent by Pushpa Sales, the company providing oxygen cylinders to BRD Medical College.

The company sent several letters to BRD Medical College. On July 18, the letter noted dues to the tune of Rs 57,44,336 despite a partial payment made on May 11 for Rs 19,81,619. The letter on August 01 recorded the dues as Rs 63,65,702 and finally on August 08 the dues stood at Rs 68,58,596.

The spate of children deaths at the government-run hospital over the past few days, allegedly due to the lack of oxygen, has sent shockwaves through the country. At least 60 children died over seven days at the hospital in chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s constituency. The government has denied that paucity of oxygen was behind the deaths, blaming complications arising out of encephalitis.