Chandigarh hospitals says ventilators provided under PM-CARES fund “did not work properly”
Says they had requested ventilators from other firms but were given machines from Gujarat firm
The firm is said to have connections to top BJP leaders
New Delhi: The three government hospitals in Chandigarh which received ventilators under the PM-CARES fund have complained to the health department and the Union government about the technical issues with the ventilators, according to a report published by The Tribune.
According to the report, the ventilators were provided to the three hospitals under PM CARES fund during the second wave surge in cases of deadly Coronavirus in May this year. Out of a total of 44 ventilators, 20 were given to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, 10 to the Government Medical College and Hospital, and 14 to the Government Multi-Specialty Hospital.
The director of the Government Medical College and Hospital told the news outlet that five out of the 10 ventilators “did not work properly.”
A report further stated that all of these ventilators were manufactured by Gujarat firm Jyoti CNC Automation, Tribune report noted.
‘Dhaman-1’ ventilators manufactured by the same firm had also triggered controversy last year when Ahmedabad civil hospital superintendent J.V. Modi wrote to the state government’s medical services provider, saying that they were “not able to bring desired results”.
Another media outlet, The Wire had last year reported that the current and past promoters of Jyoti CNC Automation have had connections to top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. Some of the company’s past promoters include one business family linked to the controversial gift of an expensive suit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it had added.
Notably, a senior health official told Tribune that the Chandigarh hospitals had asked the Union government (under whose jurisdiction the Union Territory falls) for ventilators from the company Hamilton Medical when information was sought from them on ventilator requirement.
“However, the ministry asked to send a fresh requirement without mentioning the brand name. The ventilators were assessed by all three hospitals and technical issues were found in operating these,” the unnamed official told Tribune.
“At least 237 of the 320 ventilators received through the PM CARES Fund at three government medical colleges in Punjab were found defective and lying non-functional in early May,” the Tribune report noted.
Earlier this month, following complaints from hospitals in Maharashtra, the Bombay High Court had ordered that if any ventilators supplied by the Centre to Maharashtra are found to be defective, then these devices should be replaced. The court had significantly said that it will not allow “experiments” to be carried out on COVID-19 patients and that any loss of life caused by these ventilators would be the Centre’s responsibility.
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If you have a conscience, apologize to the people: R Ashoka slams Yathindra over Nalwadi comparison
Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka launched a scathing attack on MLC Dr. Yathindra, demanding that he retract his controversial statement comparing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the late Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. Ashoka urged Yathindra to apologize to the people of Karnataka if he had even a shred of conscience and any respect for the Mysuru royal lineage.
In a strongly worded social media post on Sunday, Ashoka stated, “Comparing Siddaramaiah to Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar is nothing short of absurd. Where is Nalwadi, who was bestowed the title of ‘Rajarshi’ by Mahatma Gandhi himself, and where is Siddaramaiah, who has stooped to being a puppet in the hands of fake Gandhis for the sake of power?”
He continued his critique by contrasting the enduring legacy of Nalwadi, remembered fondly by Kannadigas for his people-centric development, with what he termed as Siddaramaiah’s failure to manage Karnataka’s economy, burdening every household with debt.
Ashoka highlighted several stark differences, while Nalwadi built Mysore University over a century ago, Siddaramaiah is shutting down nine universities due to lack of funds. Nalwadi famously sold his family’s gold to build the KRS dam, whereas Siddaramaiah is accused of grabbing 14 sites meant for the public. Nalwadi established Bhadravati Iron & Steel Plant, Sandalwood Soap Factory, and Mysore Paper Mills. In contrast, Ashoka claimed Siddaramaiah's governance drove away industries, investors, and entrepreneurs. Nalwadi pioneered reservations for the backward classes long before it became mainstream. Siddaramaiah, Ashoka alleged, is reducing social justice to a gimmick by sticking labels on doors in the name of surveys.
While acknowledging Yathindra’s emotional attachment to his father, Ashoka emphasized that comparing Siddaramaiah to a visionary like Nalwadi was “laughable, baseless, and a gross insult” to the late king.
In his concluding remarks, Ashoka slammed the government for ignoring farmers’ needs despite an early monsoon. He accused the administration of being caught up in internal power struggles and negligence, forcing farmers into despair. “This government will not be spared from the curse of the farmers,” he warned.
