COVID-19: Centre assures uninterrupted supply of 480 MT oxygen to Delhi

The central government has assured the Delhi High Court that it would facilitate an uninterrupted supply of 480 Metric Tonne oxygen to hospitals in Delhi amid the deteriorating Covid-19 situation.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, on Wednesday, assured the court that the supply will be done under security so that oxygen can reach its destination without any obstructions, as soon as possible.

The bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rekha Palli said, "We hope that the requirements of hospitals will be met and oxygen supply will continue to COVID-19 patients and others until we take up the matter tomorrow."

Meanwhile, the court also said that during the hearing it has been informed that Max hospitals at Patparganj and Shalimar Bagh have received oxygen.

However, advocate Satyakam representing the Delhi government, apprised the court that Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Msh Sisodia informed him that there are some hospitals where oxygen will not last long.

Senior lawyer Rahul Mehta, representing the Delhi government, also submitted that situation is alarming in the national capital with respect to oxygen supply.

The high court also observed that it is a question of commercial interests on one hand and thousands of lives on the other. The court said it is the government's responsibility to provide oxygen and other remedial requirements.

Various officials of the central government appeared virtually in the late evening hearing and apprised the court about the recent decisions taken by the Centre regarding oxygen supply to hospitals.

Mehta and ASG Chetan Sharma appeared for the central government in the matter.

The division bench was hearing the plea of Max Hospital chain stating that presently over 1400 Covid patients are admitted in its various hospitals in the NCR.

"Most of these patients are being supported on medical oxygen. Presently, most of the hospitals in the network are working on dangerously low levels of oxygen supply, which can lead to a very serious adverse patient incident," the plea read.

The hospital chain also submitted that it has been running from pillar to post and made a number of requests both to the Centre and Delhi government. However, there is no supply of oxygen to the Hospital either from the Centre and Delhi government, no action has been forthcoming from the respondents, the plea said.

Delhi reported 24,638 new COVID-19 cases and 249 related deaths in the last 24 hours and currently has 85,364 active cases.

( With inputs from ANI )