Supreme Court dissatisfied with Centre’s oxygen formula

NEW DELHI:  The Centre on Thursday told The Supreme Court that it has complied with its order and instead of 700 MT oxygen, ensured a supply of 730 MT to Delhi for Covid-19 patients. Representing the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah that a survey was conducted in 56 major hospitals of the national capital on May 4 and it revealed that they had a significant stock of liquid medical oxygen (LMO).

At this, Justice Chandrachud was not satisfied. “Your formula needs a relook. When you prepared the formula, not everybody who went to ICU needed oxygen. But now many home isolation patients need oxygen. Your formula does not take into account ambulances, Covid care facility etc,” he said. Justice Chandrachud said this was not accurate. “The formula is a gross underestimate for Delhi. There is a judicial order in Karnataka, we need to look at this pan India basis,” he said.