Mumbai/ New Delhi: Hearing a petition on oxygen supply, the Delhi High Court on Saturday observed that it will "hang" whoever obstructs movement of oxygen. The observation was made by the bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli during hearing of a plea by Maharaja Agrasen Hospital over shortage of oxygen. The Delhi High Court said if any official at the Central, State or local administration was obstructing in the picking up or supply of oxygen, then it would "hang" that person. Nobody will be spared, the HC said.
The Delhi government informed the court that the system will "collapse" if it does not get 480 metric tonnes of oxygen. “When will Delhi get 480 metric tonnes? Please tell us that," the court asked the Union government while hearing Maharaja Agrasen Hospital's petition.
The Centre on Saturday came out with over half a dozen advice to the states on implementing the Phase 3 of the vaccination strategy to inoculate all over 18 years from May 1, but it was short of response on procurement of vaccines even as the states sought supplies from the Centre until their own system stabilised.
Twenty Covid patients had died last night at 'Jaipur Golden Hospital' due to the low supply of oxygen. The hospital had made an appeal to authority in Delhi to arrange oxygen. According to the hospital, "A supply of 3.5 metric tonnes of oxygen was supposed to reach by 5 pm but it reached around midnight. By then, 20 patients had died."
Around 9.30 am, the hospital's MD, Dr. DK Baluja tweeted: "Jaipur Golden Hospital still waiting for oxygen. 215 Covid patients are dependent on the hospital getting a supply ASAP. Please help, we are desperate." Earlier, 25 Covid-19 patients had died in the period of 24 hours at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH).
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan and Dr R S Sharma, chairman of the empower group to combat Covid-19 reviewed with the states their augmentation plans to strengthen the existing hospital and clinical treatment infrastructure for the Covid patients. Dr Sharma stressed use of COWIN platform in vaccination drive, noting that it has now stabilised and is working flawlessly.
