Nagpur: Expressing concern over Maharashtra government’s apathy and insensitivity towards helping Covid-19 patients, who’re struggling to get beds, medicines and oxygen, the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court slammed authorities for not making efforts to save citizens’ lives.
“If you don’t feel ashamed of yourself, then we feel ashamed of being a part of this nasty society. We can’t do anything for the unfortunate patients of Maharashtra. This is how we’re shirking from our responsibilities. You are neglecting and ignoring our patients. We give you solution, you don’t follow it. You do not give us solution. What absolute nonsense is going on here!,” a division bench comprising justices Sunil Shukre and Shreeram Modak orally observed.
While hearing a suo motu PIL on beds shortage in afternoon, the judges further noted that their hearts bleed for the hapless patients. “All of us are spending sleepless nights. With folded hands, we request officials to join this fight against the deadly virus,” they said, after failing to get satisfactory response to their orders from the respondents.
“The reason for keeping this special hearing at this hour of the night is to provide immediate succour to the Covid patients who are suffering no end in the present situation of scarcity and non-availability of almost every essential service, in sofar as their medical management is concerned,” they added.
The bench also flayed the respondents over their inability to ensure oxygen supply to the government and private hospitals terming the scenario as “disappointing”.
Earlier, the collector informed that the Nagpur district’s total requirement of oxygen is 166.5 metric tons (MT) and remaining districts in Vidarbha is between 60 and 100 MT, which means the total requirement for the region is of 266.5 MT.
“We’re informed that Nagpur has some oxygen generating units and their total capacity to generate is 146MT/day. We have also been told that PRAX AIR (Bhilai) and HYPHEN LINDE had been, till recently, supplying 110MT of liquid oxygen every day. But, now this supply has been reduced to 60MT as per Union health and family welfare ministry’s communication of April 18. The figures would show that there is a shortfall of about 100MT between the demand and supply.”
The bench clarified that the hearing is being held for the purpose of making effective rendering of essential services to Covid patients. “Therefore, the concerned authorities wouldn’t take any coercive action against anybody who would be coming to assist the HC, which would be consistent with the SOP and Covid restrictions.”