Delhi HC asks Centre to ensure oxygen supply to Max Hospitals; capital's quota increased

In an urgent hearing on Wednesday night, the Delhi High Court pulled up the Centre over the oxygen shortage at Max Hospitals in the national capital. A division bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli said that the responsibility to ensure the supply of medical oxygen to these hospitals entirely lies with the Union government. Recording the details of the ban on oxygen supply to industries, it noted that the supply of oxygen from established sources like Inox was not able to meet the demand. For instance, it suggested that the government can divert the entire oxygen supply from steel and petroleum industries. 

Moreover, it observed that the medical oxygen can be transported in multiple ways such as creating a dedicated corridor or airlifting the same. While Centre's counsel Anil Soni said that extra oxygen for Delhi has been requisitioned, the HC said that this was no solace for anyone. Moreover, the bench recalled its directives from a day earlier when it asked the Union government to immediately implement the decision to cut down the industrial use of oxygen. 

It stated, "How is it that the government is so oblivious to the ground reality? We can't have people die...yesterday we were told you were trying to import. What happened to that?"The court stressed that the heavens are not going to fall if oxygen is diverted from other industries until imports become a reality. It added, "Hell will break loose (if oxygen is not supplied). We direct Centre to take over production of oxygen from steel plants, if necessary from petroleum plants for supply to oxygen even if it means that such industries have to stop production (for the time being)."

In a heartening development, the court was informed subsequently that 2000 cubic meters of oxygen will reach Max Hospital- Partapganj in about two hours' time. Noting that there are apprehensions of law and order problems on the way, it directed the Centre to provide safe passage so that such supplies are not obstructed for any reason whatsoever. At this juncture, the HC turned down the request of the Central government counsel to not finalize the order. There are 85,575 active cases in Delhi while 8,07,328 patients have been discharged and 12,638 fatalities have been recorded. 

Here is the current oxygen situation at Max Hospitals: