Centre spreading lies, confusion on oxygen death data: Manish Sisodia

NEW DELHI:  Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday lashed out at the Centre for not being serious about deaths due to oxygen crisis, saying it has not sent any letter to the Delhi government in this regard so far. Sisodia said the Centre is making “false” statements regarding deaths due to lack of oxygen during the second wave of the pandemic. Delhi was one of the worst-hit cities and had faced a major shortage of oxygen supply at the height of the pandemic. 

Earlier, a controversy had broke out after junior health minister Bharati Praveen Pawar told the Rajya Sabha “no deaths due to lack of oxygen were reported” during the second COVID-19 wave. Later, the Centre had clarified that states have not sent any data on such deaths. 

“A few days ago, I had read that the Central Government has given time until 13th August to State Governments to inform them regarding the number of deaths due to oxygen scarcity. But till now no letter has been sent to the Delhi government,” Sisodia said, adding that the Centre is spreading a ‘lie’ that states are not giving information. 

“They (the Centre) themselves have not asked for any information from the state. People affected during the last wave have not forgotten the pain that they went through.” The central government should take this pandemic seriously and prepare for the third wave, he added.

The AAP government, which has been at loggerheads with the Centre over the shortage of medical oxygen, had decided to constituted a committee to audit deaths caused maybe due to lack of oxygen but was rejected by L-G Anil Baijal. 

Sisodia said that without investigation, it would be incorrect to state that “there were no deaths due to lack of oxygen”. The Delhi government has decided to send detailed information about the deaths due to lack of oxygen in the form of a report, to the Central Government, even though they have not officially asked for it, said Sisodia.

Bitter episode at hospital
In April, a major tragedy took place at a private hospital where 20 people had died in one night. At that time, the hospital had claimed that the deaths were caused due to lack of oxygen supply.  There was a dip in oxygen pressure at the facility as the supplies did not arrive in time, officials had said. Subsequently, the hospital had approached the high court and the matter reached  the apex court.