Union Minister Santosh Gangwar flagged multiple concerns regarding issues relating to COVID-19 mismanagement in his constituency —Bareilly, about 250 km from state capital Lucknow.
Citing instances of oxygen shortage, black marketing of ventilators and other medical equipment, Gangwar said that the complaints and suggestions had come from the people and he was simply passing it on to the leader of the state.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, he also sought that oxygen plants be installed in the hospitals of Bareilly to ensure timely treatment and to simplify the process of referring COVID patients to the hospital.
He also pointed out that officials in the Health Department are not very committed to answering phone calls, thereby creating a chaotic situation for the patients.
"I think the points they raised were valid and these can be investigated and decided on," Gangwar said, reported NDTV.
"I think oxygen is just a temporary problem. It will get solved. But there should be no black marketing."
Interestingly, these complaints surfaced merely two weeks after the Chief Minsiter declared that there was no shortage of medical oxygen in the state and assured to take strict actions against people "spreading rumours".
Yogi Adityanath had said that not every patient infected with the contagion needed oxygen support and those who were spreading "rumours" or "propaganda" would be punished under the Nation Security Act and their property would be seized.
Congress leader, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had criticised Yogi Adityanath by urging him to look at the suffering of the people and understand that a shortage of oxygen existed in the state.
"If you want to file a case against me, seize my property, do so. But for God's sake recognise the seriousness of the situation and get down to saving people's lives immediately," read her tweet, which was originally in Hindi.