<p>Black-marketing of oxygen during the Covid-19 pandemic was raised in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday with senior Congress MP Digvijaya Singh and BJP lawmaker Bhagwat Karad seeking the intervention of the government in curbing the practice.<br /><br />Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Singh said there is an exponential rise in the price of oxygen cylinders across the country and especially in states like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.<br /><br />He said that the price of oxygen refill has risen from Rs 10 per cubic meter to Rs 50. He said the National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority has set the ceiling at Rs 17 per cubic metre and the government should strictly enforce it.<br /><br />In Uttar Pradesh, he said that a small oxygen cylinder, which earlier cost Rs 130, is now being sold at Rs 350. The security deposit for cylinders has risen from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000.<br /><br />Referring to Gujarat, he said that the price has risen from Rs 8.50 per litre to Rs 25-28 per litre.<br /><br />Joining the issue, Karad said that there is black-marketing of oxygen and it should be curbed.<br /><br />Both Singh and Karad, who is a doctor, said oxygen is very essential in the treatment of Covid-19 as several patients suffer from low levels of oxygen.<br /><br />Singh said several patients have died in Madhya Pradesh's Dewas, Chhindwara and Jabalpur due to lack of oxygen.</p>
<p>Black-marketing of oxygen during the Covid-19 pandemic was raised in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday with senior Congress MP Digvijaya Singh and BJP lawmaker Bhagwat Karad seeking the intervention of the government in curbing the practice.<br /><br />Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Singh said there is an exponential rise in the price of oxygen cylinders across the country and especially in states like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.<br /><br />He said that the price of oxygen refill has risen from Rs 10 per cubic meter to Rs 50. He said the National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority has set the ceiling at Rs 17 per cubic metre and the government should strictly enforce it.<br /><br />In Uttar Pradesh, he said that a small oxygen cylinder, which earlier cost Rs 130, is now being sold at Rs 350. The security deposit for cylinders has risen from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000.<br /><br />Referring to Gujarat, he said that the price has risen from Rs 8.50 per litre to Rs 25-28 per litre.<br /><br />Joining the issue, Karad said that there is black-marketing of oxygen and it should be curbed.<br /><br />Both Singh and Karad, who is a doctor, said oxygen is very essential in the treatment of Covid-19 as several patients suffer from low levels of oxygen.<br /><br />Singh said several patients have died in Madhya Pradesh's Dewas, Chhindwara and Jabalpur due to lack of oxygen.</p>
