Delhi COVID-19 crisis: BJP IT head slams CM Kejriwal for shortage of oxygen supply

As the national capital struggles with an acute shortage of oxygen, the BJP has attacked the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the looming shortage of oxygen supply in Delhi hospitals. BJP leader Amit Malviya on Wednesday hit out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet for the situation. Amit Malviya remarked that the Delhi CM and his ministers should ensure the supply of oxygen in hospitals.

Further attacking Kejriwal, Malviya cited that Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states like Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are doing better. The BJP leader has recommended Kejriwal to 'learn' from these states instead of raising issues on Twitter and 'appearing on TV ads'. 

Kejriwal reaches out to Centre amid Oxygen crisis in Delhi 

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Arvind Kejriwal urged the Centre 'with folded hands' to provide medical oxygen to Delhi. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also added that there will be chaos in the city if oxygen stocks are not replenished by Wednesday morning. Apart from the scarcity of oxygen, ICU beds in the national capital are filling fast amid a massive spike in COVID-19 cases. 

"I urge central govt wid folded hands to urgently provide oxygen to Delhi" said Kejriwal 

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal are holding a meeting pertaining to the ongoing crisis. Both leaders will discuss the situation related to the issue of oxygen supply, COVID-19 cases and deaths in the national capital. 

Fresh supply of oxygen sent to some government and private hospitals

In another development amid the crisis, some major government and private hospitals have received a fresh stock of medical oxygen in the early hours of Wednesday, according to the officials. The Gangaram Hospital received 5,000 cubic metres of oxygen supply from a private vendor before 3 am. The stock is expected to last till Wednesday afternoon. In addition, supply from another firm is awaited, as per sources. 

An official at the Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital confirmed that a truck carrying oxygen from a firm reached them around 1:30 am. Dr Suresh Kumar, medical director of the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, said a truck carrying oxygen from a vendor reached the facility around 3 am.

The Ambedkar Hospital received a fresh supply of oxygen at 5 am which officials said can last till 24 hours A record 28,395 coronavirus cases and 277 deaths marked the aggravation of the pandemic situation in Delhi on Tuesday as the positivity rate shot up to 32.82 per cent meaning every third sample came out positive amid a "serious oxygen crisis" unfolding in the city.

With PTI Inputs

Image Credits: PTI/Twitter- @amitmalviya