Delhi's hospitals have been sending desperate appeals for medical oxygen.
The central government has to supply 700 metric tonnes of medical oxygen to Delhi everyday till further orders, the Supreme Court said this morning as top hospitals in the national capital struggle to tackle the unprecedented rise in Covid infections.
"When we say 700 metric tonnes, it means (the amount of medical oxygen to be supplied) everyday to Delhi. Please do not drive us to a situation to take coercive steps... We are clarifying that it will be 700 MT everyday," the top court said yet again.
This is the third straight day that the shortage of medical oxygen - a key challenge that has emerged in India's fight against a deadly second Covid wave - was discussed in the top court.
"Yesterday we noticed lot of caveats on tankers. We are not going into this... we are not drivers," Justice MR Shah told the centre this morning.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court had made it very clear: "You will have to give 700 tonnes to Delhi (700 tonnes dena hi padega)".
"If nothing is to be hidden, let it come before the nation how allocation and distribution is done transparently by the centre," the Supreme Court said. "The centre continues to be in contempt for not supplying 700 tonnes of oxygen to Delhi," it said.
Even as the Arvind Kejriwal government, in the top court, said on Thursday the city has been getting roughly half the quantity of oxygen it has been officially allocated, the Chief Minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for supplies of liquid medical oxygen.
"Yesterday (on Wednesday), the centre for the first time sent us 730 Tonne of medical oxygen for the first time. I thank the central government, Delhi High Court, Supreme Court. We will be able to save many lives," he said ina televised press briefing.
"But, till we fight this spike in infections, we need over 700 tonnes everyday," he stressed.
Over the last two weeks, many hospitals in the city have sent distress messages on social media, seeking urgent help.
Last week, 12 people, including a doctor, died at Delhi's Batra Hospital on Saturday after the facility ran out of medical oxygen.
A week before that 25 people died due to shortage of low oxygen pressure at the Jaipur Golden Hospital in the city.
