March 4: Oxygen plants worth more than Rs 70 million purchased by Nepali entrepreneurs have been stuck in France due to the negligence of the transportation company.

Nepali businessmen and social organisations had purchased 10 sets of oxygen generator plants from France nine months under the coordination of a non-governmental organization called Reconstruction Nepal. “After purchasing the goods, Flash Freight Logistics Company was entrusted with the task of transporting the goods,” said a businessman who bought the oxygen generator plants, adding, “But even after multiple requests, the company is not even interested in transporting the goods.”

Six different business houses had invested on those oxygen plants during the Covid-19 pandemic. The cost of transporting the oxygen plants was paid by the government. The government had reportedly paid USD 275,000 to the company for transporting the oxygen plants.

The company then entered into an agreement with Nepal Airlines to transport the plants for USD 272,000. The concerned businessmen said despite the agreement, the transportation company has been refusing to transport the oxygen plants.

Deepesh Adhikari on behalf of the transportation company and president of US-based Reconstruction Nepal, Dr Madan Upreti on behalf of the buyers had signed the agreement for transporting the plants to Nepal.

The agreement was to bring the oxygen plant to Nepal within the month of December, 2021. After being brought to Nepal, the target was to set up two of the oxygen plants at Kathmandu’s Teaching Hospital, three at Gandaki and Lumbini hospitals, one at Damak's Amda and one at Darchula Hospital. The government had planned to set up another station at Jogbudha Hospital in Dadeldhura with the plants brought from France.

But due to the negligence of the transporter to bring those oxygen plants, not only the investment of the businessman has sunk but also the general public has not been able to get the service. Oxygen plants were urgently needed in hospitals during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many patients were killed during the Covid-19 pandemic due to the unavailability of oxygen.

When the representative of the company that did not ship the plants as per the agreement, he declined to comment. He has reportedly been avoiding any kind of contact.

One of the businessmen who bought the oxygen plants said that the cargo company is arguing that the ship fare has increased now.

He said the shipping company had asked for more money to transport the oxygen plants. “We have already given the transport company an additional Rs 1 million per plant, in addition to what the government had already promised,” he said adding, “Now action needs to be taken against that company.”

Batas Foundation, America Nepal Medical Foundation, Creation Nepal, Humanity Foundation Nepal, Reconstruction Nepal, Jagdamba Steel and Syakar Trading Company had partnered to bring the oxygen plant. Businessmen have demanded to confiscate the deposit of the company and blacklist it for not delivering the shipment as per the agreement.

Businessmen are appealing to various agencies for transportation after the oxygen plants purchased on May 20, 2021 failed to arrive.

How the oxygen plant purchase procedure started

Hospitals across the country were in dire need of oxygen as the Covid-19 pandemic intensified. Reconstruction Nepal bought oxygen plants in France with the aim of setting up oxygen plants in various hospitals after patients started dying due to lack of oxygen.

The buyers had requested the government to assist in the transportation of the plants as the shipment by water would be delayed and transportation by air would be costly. Accepting the request, the then KP Sharma Oli-led government had decided to provide transportation expenses.