Requests officials not to create hurdles on bonafide commercial activities
The second wave of COVID-19 has led to a severe oxygen crisis across the country and it has led to certain black marketers hoarding oxygen cylinders in large numbers. Though individual state governments have taken action against the hoarders on some occasions valid and genuine suppliers are being harassed. Recently Rajiv Nath, Forum Coordinator, Association of Indian Medical Device Industry shot a letter to Ajay Bhalla, Home Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs and Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, Chairman of Empowered Committee of Essential Medical Equipment and Secretary, DPITT apprising about the current situation.
Citing a recent case by Nath, the premises of Paramount Surgimed, manufacturer of medical devices, which recently imported 100 units of eight litres of oxygen concentrators from China, was raided under the impression that the company was hoarding oxygen cylinders.
According to Nath, there has to be a distinction between a genuine manufacturer/importers and fly by night operators. Even fly by night importer at this critical juncture are individual buyers/alumni members/RWAs who are doing crowd-funded imports and it is not illegal.
Nath stated, “An importer having all the required licences/permissions in this trade and a history of commercial activities should not be harassed as hoarders and black marketers. We of course welcome the action taken against black marketers to bring sanity to the trade. We even protested when legal metrology compliance was waved to ease customs clearance as we knew there could be potential misuse. ”
Nath requested the officials to not disturb bonafide commercial activities of internal trade in this period of critical emergency as it may lead to delayed access to needy patients.
