https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

A Hollywood Thriller in Darbhanga

Darbhanga DM Thiyagrajan SM, through skillful management of situation, led his team through a night full of horrors, averting a major crisis saving 550 lives.
Indian Masterminds Stories

It could have been plot for a Hollywood thriller. More than 550 lives at stake and a group of person running against time, taking all measures at their command to save them. In the end, the efforts paid off and lives saved in time.

But, it was a real-life situation in Darbhanga on May 5, 2021 when the only oxygen plant catering to around 500 patients in Darbhanga and neighbouring districts like Madhubani, stopped working due to a technical issue. With only two hours of oxygen at their hands, the district administration moved heaven and hearth to solve the crisis. The Oxygen plant was repaired by next day morning and miraculously none of the lives were lost, thanks to their efforts. 

SOS ALERT BY THE DM

As per the turn of events, a minor leak was reported in the private oxygen plant at Madhopatti at 6 pm. The technical person at the plant promised to fix the glitch within an hour. But he gave up at 7 pm. Recounting the horrors of the eventful night, Deputy Development Commissioner Tanai Sultania told Indian Masterminds, “We were in for a major crisis as we had oxygen to survive only till 8:30 pm and there was no one in Darbhanga who could fix the glitch.”

The damaged connecting pipe

The pipe, which connects the storage tanker to cooling pipes, had burst. DM Darbhanga Thiyagrajan SM immediately sent an SOS alert to the headquarters and the management team at various hospitals in the district. He asked all hospitals to keep their requirements minimum and all hospital managers/main people to manage and be alert at night.

Recalling the events to Indian Masterminds, Mr. Thiyagrajan SM said, “All my senses stopped working for a second. But I had to take immediate action as 500 lives were at stake.”

SEEKING HELP FROM ALL ENDS

Mr. Thiyagrajan started contacting District Magistrates of nearby districts like Mazzafarpur, Samastipur, Purnea, Kishanganj, Begusarai for help. In the meanwhile, he also informed the Development Commissioner of Bihar Amir Subhani, who helped a lot during this sudden crisis in the district.

Mr. Thiyagrajan said “We requested oxygen cylinders from them and they were kind enough to lend us some as during this Covid situation, not every district has surplus cylinders to spare. To streamline the distribution system, we set up a control room at the DMCH.”

Mr. Thiyagrajan SM with the team at the oxygen plant site

They found that prior to the breakdown, a vehicle was being loaded at the plant to be dispatched to Madhubani with 27 cylinders. Senior Deputy Collector and the nodal officer for oxygen supply in the district, Satyam Sahay, arrived requested the Madhubani SDM if they can use the cylinders. The vehicle was then diverted to the DMCH control room.

Unloading oxygen cylinders

Meanwhile, Mr. Thiyagrajan approached an agency in Delhi which asked them to replace the high-pressure flexible pipe by welding a copper pipe. However, the owners of the private oxygen plant did not have enough resources and technician to weld the plant. The night was progressing fast and the crisis too was deepening at even greater speed.

Mr. Satyam Sahay said, “An oxygen plant in Deoghar had also faced a similar problem before, so DM Darbhanga lined up a video call between the technician who fixed that issue in Deoghar with  our local technician, and found out that we can go ahead with the plan which the Delhi agency had proposed.”

RATIONALISING CYLINDER DISTRIBUTION

As the district didn’t have the required welding machine, support came from the nearby Begusarai district which houses the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) plant and thus has a plethora of technicians. They immediately despatched 40 oxygen cylinders along with their engineers.

Mr. Satyam Sahay was sent to the DMCH to monitor the judicious distribution of oxygen cylinders. Out of the 27 cylinders, two were sent to RB Memorial Hospital, two to Jogender Memorial Hospital, and five to Paras Hospital. Out of the remaining 18 cylinders, 8 were used in the manifold plant, and 10 for individual needs. We knew our stock was depleting fast and had to replenish it.”

Police officials on duty

First help reached from the Samastipur district administration which sent in 60 big oxygen cylinders. The cylinders reached around 12:30 am and saved the district from the worst situation that was developing. Another consignment of sixty cylinders came from Muzzafarpur 65 km away, at 1 am, out of which 20-25 cylinders were sent to the Covid ICU and the rest were sent to the DMCH. This provided the district with a backup till morning.

Meanwhile, the engineers and 40 oxygen cylinders arrived from Begusarai – covering a distance of 115 km — at 2:30 am and the repair work started immediately. With everything already lined up, it took engineers only one hour to repair the plant and it started functioning at 3:30 am.

The oxygen plant getting repaired

Help however kept pouring in even after that. A technician from East Champaran also arrived after the plant had been repaired. Another vehicle with 40 oxygen cylinders reached from Purnea – from almost 235 km – but was sent back as the plant had already started functioning.

Darbhanga district administration has not been able to thank enough those who helped it avert the crisis and saved over 550 lives.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
UP Government Uttar Pradesh Yogi
Uttar Pradesh: Yogi Govt Transfers 8 IAS Officers, Appoints Masoom Ali Sarwar as Waqf Board CEO
Y-Puran-Kumar
Haryana IPS Y Puran Kumar Suicide: IAS Wife Amneet Kumar Files Complaint Against DGP and SP Over Explosive Note
shastri-bhawan
“I Just Couldn't Take It Anymore” - The Untold Story Behind CSS Officer Deepak Khoda’s Suicide Attempt at Shastri Bhawan | Exclusive Interview
grse mou
GRSE Signs Strategic MoU to Boost Indigenous Development of Advanced Naval Navigation Systems
Mazagon_Dock_Shipbuilders_Ltd_Organizes_Diwali_Mela_
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) Hosts Diwali Mela to Boost Vigilance Awareness and Empower Rural Self-Help Groups
NALCO_MOU_
NALCO Foundation Signs MoU to Boost Skill Development and Livelihood Opportunities for Rural Youth
Concor
Dividend Alert: CONCOR to Announce Q2 FY26 Financial Results and Second Interim Dividend on November 11
ircon and coal india
Coal India Partners with IRCON to Strengthen Rail Network for Seamless Coal Transportation
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IDES Saquib Alam
UPSC Strategy & Mindset Tips from IDES Officer Saquib Alam | Video Interview 
Dr G K Goswami IPS
Everything you ever wanted to know about e-murder, e-dacoity and data safety
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Jitendra Baghel MPPSC
7 Years, 4 Interviews, Now Dy.SP: How Jitendra Baghel Cracked MPPSC Through Relentless Struggle
Jitendra Baghel’s inspiring journey from a humble farming background to MPPSC Dy.SP showcases relentless...
IDES Saquib Alam
UPSC Strategy & Mindset Tips from IDES Officer Saquib Alam | Video Interview 
Discover how IDES officer Saquib Alam left his corporate job at Mahindra, overcame six UPSC attempts,...
Utkarsh Ujjwal IAS
IAS Utkarsh Ujjwal Shares Key Advice for UPSC Aspirants: Work Ethic, Failure, and Focus
Read the inspiring journey of IAS Utkarsh Ujjwal, 2023 batch, Gujarat cadre. From IIT Guwahati to clearing...
Social Media
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
UP Government Uttar Pradesh Yogi
Uttar Pradesh: Yogi Govt Transfers 8 IAS Officers, Appoints Masoom Ali Sarwar as Waqf Board CEO
Y-Puran-Kumar
Haryana IPS Y Puran Kumar Suicide: IAS Wife Amneet Kumar Files Complaint Against DGP and SP Over Explosive Note
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IDES Saquib Alam
Dr G K Goswami IPS
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT