Gorakhpur infant deaths: Adityanath orders inquiry against oxygen supplier, says money released on August 5

After getting updates from his two ministers, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth on Saturday vehemently denied deaths of children at the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur were due to the short supply of oxygen in the hospital.

The Chief minister said: “Different newspapers and channels are showing different figure and jumping their own conclusions on cause of deaths. We are sensitive to even single death in the state and media should also show sensitivity in reporting such issues than launching a false propaganda. Not a single death has been caused by shortage of oxygen.”

After taking a dig at the media, the Chief Minister also turned the heat on the supplier of oxygen Pushpa Sales. “It is a big crime on part of the supplier to snap supply of life-saving oxygen. We had addressed their issue of dues by releasing Rs 2 crores on August 5 itself but how can they stop supply of oxygen,” he said.

"After going through all the misleading reports in newspapers and channels, I am failing to understand where the media wants to take this issue," rued the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister also increased the scope of inquiry committee headed by the Chief Secretary Rajive Kumar to probe the role of the supplier also in BRD Medical College affairs.

#WATCH: UP CM Yogi Adityanath speaking on child deaths in #Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College, says "Encephalitis is a challenge". pic.twitter.com/gyY4NZtS3B

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 12, 2017

Encephalitis bimaari 1978 se hai, purvi UP ka masoom asamay agar kaal ke gaal mein sama rha h iske peeche gandagi, khule mein shauch h:UP CM pic.twitter.com/cSS3R0U4rr

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 12, 2017

Addressing the media and said he had started the 'fight against encephalitis' and ordered an inquiry led by the Chief Secretary to find out the role of the oxygen supplier in the incident. He said: “We have constituted a committee to be led by Chief Secretary to inquire the role of oxygen supplier in the incident. Supplier wrote letter to the Principal on August 1 which was sent to DG medical education on Aug 4 and money was released on Aug. When the money released by Medical Education has reached there, is it the mistake of the Minster or the Principal?”

I started fight against encephalitis: UP CM Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow. #Gorakhpur pic.twitter.com/Gc8z3GJoA9

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 12, 2017

We have constituted a committee to be lead by Chief Secretary to inquire the role of oxygen supplier in the incident: UP CM #Gorakhpur pic.twitter.com/HeyQzKu0AR

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 12, 2017

Meri poori samvedna un sabhi parivaron ke saath hai jinhone apne bache khoye hain: UP CM Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow #Gorakhpur pic.twitter.com/Mf0NqApwV7

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 12, 2017

Supplier wrote letter to the Principal on August 1 which was sent to DG medical education on Aug 4 and money was released on Aug 5: UP CM pic.twitter.com/tZMRi5jHhS

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 12, 2017

The families of the children have claimed that the doctors were not treating them well and the hospital was not even providing the medicines which were required for the treatment.

The Health Minister Dr Siddharth Nath Singh reiterated that no deaths had taken place due to shortage of oxygen. “Critically-ill children died due to kidney failure, premature birth and low weight, pneumonia and other fatal infections,” he clarified.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rushed MoS Anupriya Patel to visit BRD Medical College to take stock of the situation. “I will visit Gorakhpur on Sunday and submit my report to the Prime Minister who is very concerned about deaths of children,” said Patel.

 A day after the death of 30 infants was reported at a state-run hospital here, Uttar Pradesh Medical Education Minister Ashutosh Tandon today said the principal of the medical college was suspended for his "irresponsible act" of allegedly delaying payments to the oxygen supplier.

He added that a probe, led by the chief secretary, had also been ordered.

Tandon told reporters here that "stringent action" would be taken against those responsible for the tragedy at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College Hospital after the probe panel submitted its report.

"Till then, we are suspending the principal of the medical college with immediate effect for his irresponsible act," he added.

The minister said on August 1, the dealer (oxygen supplier) had written a letter to the principal of the medical college, Dr Rajiv Mishra, demanding payment of an outstanding amount.

"The letter was forwarded to the DG's (Director General, Medical Education) office. On August 5, the payment was made to the medical college and the amount was credited to its account on August 7," he added.

Stating that the dealer claimed that his dues were cleared only on August 11, Tandon said, "Why was there a delay in payment, why the supply of oxygen was stopped -- these aspects will be probed by the panel."

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath informed through his official Twitter handle that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sought information about the tragedy and on his instructions, Union Health Minister J P Nadda and Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel had also inquired about it.

He added that Patel would visit BRD Medical College to take stock of the situation.

With inputs from PTI and ANI