MHA orders unobstructed inter-state movement of oxygen after Delhi grapples with shortage

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday directed all states to ensure that no restriction is imposed on the movement of medical oxygen between states amid reports of shortage. This assumes significance in the wake of Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia's charge that the Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments are obstructing the supply of oxygen to hospitals in the national capital. Moreover, it mandated that no oxygen manufacturer and supplier shall be compelled to limit the oxygen supplies to only the hospitals of the state in which they are located. 

Moreover, the Ministry stressed that there should be no restriction of timing for the movement of oxygen-carrying vehicles. Forbidding any authority from attaching an oxygen-carrying vehicle passing through the district, it reiterated that supply of oxygen for industrial purposes except those exempted by the Centre is banned from April 22. All states have been advised to strictly abide by the plan for the supply of medical oxygen prepared by the Empowered Group-II. The District Magistrates/Deputy Commissioners and SPs, SSPs and DCPs will be personally liable for the implementation of these directions.

The furore over oxygen shortage

The oxygen shortage crisis came to the fore after many Delhi hospitals issued frantic appeals regarding the shortage of oxygen to treat COVID-19 patients. Speaking exclusively to Republic TV's Political Editor Aishwarya Kapoor a day earlier, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia urged the Centre to increase Delhi's oxygen quota to 500 MT. Attributing the rise in demand for oxygen to the huge spurt in novel coronavirus cases, he also cited that nearly 30% of the patients in Delhi hospitals are from other states such as Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. 

Soon after, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal revealed that the Centre had finally increased the national capital's oxygen quota. However, Max Hospital approached the Delhi High Court requesting an urgent hearing at night as two of its hospitals had not more than three hours of oxygen left. The division bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli made it clear that the responsibility to ensure the supply of medical oxygen to these hospitals entirely lies with the Union government.

During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the court that there will be an unobstructed supply of oxygen to hospitals in Delhi. While the Max Hospital at Patparganj and Shalimar Bagh received the medical oxygen, Saroj Super Specialty Hospital, Rohini moved the HC earlier in the day seeking an urgent critical supply of oxygen. The hearing in the case is underway at present.