Delhi oxygen audit: AAP claims 'BJP lies exposed' after AIIMS Dir terms report 'interim'

Lashing out at BJP over the interim report of the Delhi oxygen audit by an SC panel, AAP MP Sanjay Singh on Sunday, claimed that BJP's allegations were busted by AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria. Singh claimed that the BJP cannot speak the truth like the way they lied. AAP and BJP are currently embroiled in a political faceoff over an interim oxygen audit report by an SC panel that claimed that Delhi had exaggerated its O2 claim up to 4 times in May.

AAP lashes out at BJP over O2 audit

AIIMS chief: 'This is an interim report'

In a recent interview with ANI, Dr. Guleria, who heads the 5-member SC sub-group committee, refuted the oxygen exaggeration, stating that it would be incorrect to say so. Reminding that the report was an interim one, he urged to wait for the final report before jumping to conclusions. While BJP has solely blamed the AAP government for allegedly exaggerating Delhi's oxygen claim in Delhi's COVID wave peak in April-May, AAP has hit back saying 'No such audit report exists. This report was made in BJP headquarters'.

"This is an interim report which is subjudice. It is not correct to say that the oxygen was less or more as demand is dynamic. Until the final report is submitted, it is difficult to say which way it will be," said Dr. Guleria when asked if Delhi had exaggerated its oxygen demand. Elaborating on the report, he added, "Oxygen requirement is a dynamic process which will change from day-to-day as the pandemic behaves. That is what the report is trying to highlight as per GOI's formula based on ICU beds and demand being made. Unnecessary controversy is being created and one can wait for the final report."

Refuting controversy over 'inflated' oxygen demand, Dr. Guleria said, "The report highlights the number of ICU beds in the hospitals and the so-called oxygen demand for each hospital. The discrepancy between the consumption and the requirement is also written in the report. It has been highlighted in the report as to what (Oxygen) was asked for each day and how much (oxygen) was consumed. Every member's comments have been annexed to the report and subsequently, we will complete the report and submit it as early as possible."

5-member committee audits Dehi's O2 consumption

On Friday, an interim report was submitted to SC on the oxygen supply audit of Delhi from April 10 to 21 May. The 5-member SC sub-group committee headed by Dr. Randeep Guleria - AIIMS Director, pointed out a gross discrepancy (about 4 times) in the oxygen consumption claimed (1140 MT) and calculated consumption by the formula for bed capacity (289MT) on May 13. From 183 hospitals, the Committee flagged four hospitals - Singhal Hospital, Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital, ESIC Model Hospital, and Liferay Hospital, claiming that they had extremely high oxygen consumption with very few beds.

Moreover, the report noted that as per the Centre's calculation Delhi's oxygen requirement was 332 MTs (counting 50% oxygenated non-ICU beds only) and 449.42 MTs, as per Delhi govt's calculation (including all non-ICU oxygen beds). It was also evident that some hospitals could not differentiate between KL and MT and the same was not examined while projecting 700 MTs, stated the report. The report concluded that Delhi was receiving excess oxygen, while states like Rajasthan, UP, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh Uttarakhand, Punjab and even Jammu-Kashmir suffered. Inadequate availability of tankers to transport LMO, slow decantation and holding up turnaround time for containers were also pointed out as reasons for oxygen mismanagement.