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Updated May 7th, 2021 at 12:44 IST

SC orders Centre to maintain daily oxygen supply of 700 MT to Delhi after state complains

Ordering the Centre to maintain a daily supply of 700 MT to Delhi, Supreme Court on Friday, said that it did not wish to be coercive but the Centre must comply

oxygen, Delhi, SC
IMAGE: PTI | Image:self
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Ordering the Centre to maintain a daily supply of 700 MT to Delhi, Supreme Court on Friday, said that it did not wish to be coercive but the Centre must arrange the supply. The Supreme Court bench comprising of Justices DY Chandrachud & MR Shah said that 'it meant business' after the Delhi govt revealed that it had received just 86 MT pf oxygen as of 9 AM and 16 MT was in transit. The SC has been hearing suo-moto COVID issues such as vaccination, oxygen shortage, COVID testing for mutant strains, medical staff shortage etc.

Centre: 'You must suply 700 MT'

On Thursday, the SC directed Centre to supply 700 MT to the national capital, as demanded by Delhi govt. Pulling up the Centre over a pan-India oxygen supply allocation, Justice Chandrachud observed Centre's formula for Delhi was 'a gross underestimation of it Delhi requires'. The Centre has warned that if it allocates 700 MT to Delhi, other states will face a shortage leading to 'adverse consequences beyond the capacity of the Centre'.

The Centre, represented by SG Tushar Mehta stated that 730.7 MT was received by Delhi on Wednesday which includes some from imports. He added that all major hospitals which use Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) are covered in the Centre's survey and have sufficient stock, with additional stock arriving in Delhi via Oxygen Express trains from Dhaka, Durgapur and Tughlakabad. Rebutting Centre's claims, Delhi govt said that as of Thursday morning 9 AM, Delhi's supply had not touched 300, there is no way it will be close to 500 or 700. On Sunday, SC ordered the Centre to collaborate with states to prepare a buffer stock of oxygen for emergency purposes and decentralize the location of the emergency stocks.

India's oxygen shortage

Currently, India is grappling with acute oxygen supply with Delhi being hit the worst - several hospitals have moved the High Court seeking oxygen supply. While the Centre and Delhi govt have blamed each other for the ongoing oxygen crisis in the national capital, Railways has started 'Oxygen Express'  to transport liquid oxygen to the states via green corridors. These trains have already begun to arrive at UP, Maharashtra, Andhra from Odisha, Jharkhand and others. Delhi, which has increased its demand to 900 MT oxygen per day has been allotted only 480 MT by Centre. Delhi has demanded the Centre's help in procuring more oxygen, accusing UP and Haryana of obstructing its supply and expressing the inability to procure tankers. The Delhi HC has warned the Centre with contempt proceedings if the oxygen quota of Delhi (490 MT) is not met with, tasking the Centre with arranging tankers for Delhi. Except for nine sectors, the supply of oxygen for industrial purposes by manufacturers and suppliers has been prohibited from April 22 as a temporary measure.

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Published May 7th, 2021 at 12:44 IST

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