New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday rapped the Centre over the shortage of medical oxygen, saying that IIT or IIM will do a much better job if you (Centre) handover the management of oxygen tankers to them. The court suggested the government to involve experts and brilliant minds from IIMs to tackle the oxygen crisis. The court made the observation while hearing the petitions on how the health infrastructure is trying to cope with the deadly second wave of the pandemic.

“The whole country is crying for oxygen. You (Centre) must supply 700 MT (oxygen). If you don’t undertake this exercise, you will be in contempt. Now, this is your job, there are tankers available but you are not willing to do this job”, Delhi HC came down heavily on the central government.

Earlier, the court had directed the central government to arrange the life-saving gas “by whatever means”, saying “water has gone above the head, arrange everything now”.

23 die due to lack of oxygen in Karnataka

Earlier on Monday, at least 23 patients died at a government hospital in Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka after the oxygen supply dropped. “The deaths were reported after there was a fall in oxygen supply level between 12 a.m. and 2 a.m. on wee hours of Monday, where at least 144 patients are being treated,” a senior official at the hospital said.

Oxygen shortage claims 12 lives at Delhi’s Batra Hospital

Twelve Covid-19 patients, including a doctor, lost their lives on May 1 at Delhi’s Batra Hospital due to lack of medical oxygen for over an hour. While oxygen was later supplied to the hospital, it said that by that time, eight patients had already died. Another four patients died later.

20 people lost their lives at Jaipur Golden hospital 

Earlier last month, 20 people admitted to the critical care unit of Jaipur Golden hospital in Rohini had died when their oxygen levels dropped. The hospital had blamed the Delhi government for the delay in oxygen supply before the Delhi High Court.