Kejriwal asks Centre to ensure no shortage of O2 in 3rd wave amid escalated demand row

After a Supreme Court panel found that the Delhi government overstated its demand for medical oxygen during the second wave of the pandemic by four times, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal retaliated on Saturday, June 26, saying that a system should be put in place to ensure that no one suffers from an oxygen shortage during the third wave. 

Kejriwal speaks on Oxygen requirement row

He tweeted, "If your fight over oxygen is over, can we get back to work? Let's make such a system together that there is no shortage of oxygen in the third wave. In the second wave, people suffered a severe shortage of oxygen. Now, this should not happen in the third wave. If we fight amongst ourselves then Corona will win. If we fight together, the country will win." (roughly translated)

In a tweet on June 25, Kejriwal wrote, "My crime - I fought for the breath of my 2 crore people. When you were doing an election rally, I was awake all night arranging for Oxygen. I fought, pleaded for people to get oxygen. People have lost their loved ones due to lack of oxygen. Don't call them liars, they feel so bad." (roughly translated)

Supreme Court panel's O2 audit report

"The Delhi government exaggerated the city's oxygen requirement for the city by more than four times during the April 25-May 10 period, at the peak of the second COVID wave," the Supreme Court's oxygen audit team said in its report, adding that the supply of excess oxygen to Delhi could have triggered a crisis in its supply to 12 states with a high caseload. "The actual oxygen consumption claimed by the Delhi government (1,140MT) was about four times higher than the calculated consumption as per the formula based on bed capacity (289 MT)," the report continued.

According to the report, Delhi's average oxygen consumption was between 284 and 372 MT, and "the excess supply of oxygen affected other states in need of oxygen." The panel included Delhi Government Principal Home Secretary Bhupinder Bhalla, Max Healthcare Director Dr Sandeep Buddhiraja, and Union Jal Shakti Ministry Joint Secretary Subodh Yadav, and was led by AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria.

(with inputs from ANI)

Picture Credit: PTI