Delhi government accuses Haryana, UP of blocking oxygen supply; urges Centre to intervene

Delhi Government on Wednesday indulged in a bitter fight with the Haryana and UP  state Governments over the acute shortage of oxygen in the treatment of COVID-19 patients in the national capital. While complaining to the Centre, the Delhi government has accused the neighbouring states of stopping the oxygen tankers from entering Delhi. Deputy CM Manish Sisodia has alleged that oxygen suppliers are being stopped in different states and opined that "the Centre needs to be more sensitive and active in order to avoid jungle raj between the states in the supply of oxygen".

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday urged the Centre to supply oxygen in the national capital at the earliest while stating that there is only a few hours of oxygen left in Delhi hospitals.

Delhi govt accuses Haryana and Uttar Pradesh

Sisodia said that the shortage of oxygen in Delhi's hospitals has occurred because an oxygen plant in Faridabad has stopped supply for Delhi. "A Haryana official has blocked the supply for Delhi or other states, giving instructions that the oxygen will be utilised only for Haryana," Sidodia alleged while adding that when the Centre is governing the oxygen supply then state governments shouldn't interfere as to who should get the oxygen.

Sisodia said the oxygen supply has now been started from Faridabad after the intervention by the Delhi government and a similar incident occurred in UP yesterday.

"A similar incident happened from Uttar Pradesh yesterday. We were supposed to receive oxygen supply but when it didn't arrive till late at night, we had to call a senior union minister and I praise him that he proactively helped us after which the oxygen was supplied. So if the Delhi government is required to track each and every oxygen tanker then it will not be a good situation, hence I urge the Centre to intervene so that every state gets the due supply of oxygen," Sisodia said in a press conference on Wednesday.

Sisodia cites reasons of Oxygen crisis in Delhi

Sisodia has cited two reasons for the shortage of oxygen in Delhi. He said that Delhi is already witnessing a spike in COVID-19 patients leading to the shortage of oxygen while adding that patients from neighbouring states have also come to Delhi for treatment adding to the demand for oxygen. He has put the onus on the Centre for the shortage of oxygen while contending that Delhi doesn't produce its own oxygen and the jurisdiction lies with the Centre.

"We have also written to the Centre on multiple occasions that our (Delhi) quota of oxygen should be increased from 378 Metric Tonnes (MT) to 700 MT, but the Centre has not taken any step in that direction," Sisodia said.

"There are close to 18,000 patients in Delhi. I have myself visited to the hospitals and met patients. There are people from Delhi as well as UP, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand too. Everyone needs oxygen," he said while adding that Delhi shouldn't be considered as a single state and its oxygen quota should be increased.