Covid-19 | Hospital booked for 'false' oxygen shortage notice in Lucknow

District administration claims it recorded sufficient stock of oxygen at the hospital after an inspection.

A private hospital in Lucknow which had put up a notice saying it had a shortage of oxygen was booked on charges of creating “an atmosphere of fear” after the administration claimed it had sufficient stock of cylinders and was trying to hoard oxygen through pressure. The director of the Sun Hospital was booked under Sections 188 and 269 of the Indian Penal Code, Sections 51 and 52 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the Epidemic Diseases Act in the Vibhuti Khand police station. On May 3, the hospital had allegedly put out a notice signed by its administrator Udit Singhal on social media asking family members of patients who were on oxygen support to take their patients elsewhere. After repeated requests to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and the Central Government “we are not able to get enough oxygen supply,” said the notice. The Lucknow administration said they carried out an inspection at the hospital but found that the hospital had sufficient supply of oxygen.