"Whole country crying for oxygen": Delhi High Court tells Centre as it continues to hear COVID-19 plea: LIVE UPDATES

The Delhi High Court is hearing pleas concerning the COVID-19 situation in the national capital. The hearing is before Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli.

. Live updates of the hearing today feature here.

. We will get 480-520MT over the next 3-4 days : Amicus Rajshekhar Rao apprises the Court.

. Hopefully we will touch 550-600 MT in the next seven days : Rao

. Rao informs that a meeting was held with the suppliers to determine the realistic supply.

. Slowly there will be enhancement. Both Union and State are working: Rao

. Rao says there is lack of storage reseve.

. Court says there is a need to create depots like there are for Petroleum.

. Only thing that can happen is ISO containers: Rao as he says that depots take time to be constructed.

. It has to be optimised and the SoS calls have to be dealt with : Rao

. We were informed yesterday by refillers that there are issues of site management. Individual filling is becoming chaotic : Rao

. Law and order has to be deployed so that no untoward incident happens: Rao

. People also have to be educated.. : Rao as he says that yesterday a person came for refiling with a hydrogen cylinder.

. Even the business of hoarding cylinders and medicines...we requested our colleagues at the Bar to spread awareness..each cylinder held back is killing people: Rao

. A bank can be created: Court

. And it can be manned by army or para military: Rao

. We're talking like a blood Bank.. so that there is security .. assurance is there: Court

. You will also get a cylinder that is safe : Rao

. It needs to be done on a war footing. We have to be prepared for the doubling. It has to be decentralised: Rao

. There is some conversion that is required (for industrial oxygen to be used): Mehra

. The business of industrial oxygen suppliers would have come to a standstill: Court

. We could hold certain camps.. in various districts.. : Mehra

. The issue of hoarding because of insecurity can be addressed: Mehra

. It will address the confidence level .. they will come with empty cylinders and we will give filled ones : Mehra

. So that we don't exhaust all our cylinders: Mehra

. If we involve all 300 suppliers we don't know.. then we will have to check for black market etc: Mehra

. There are very pro active suggestions.. I'll go back and take instructions: Mehra

. CISF is trained for security purposes. They are trained on how to control these things: Senior Advocate G Tushar Rao on security at banks if created

. Even Gurudwaras are now out of oxygen...even private sector requires attention of this court : Tushar Rao

. Court notes that now there are 250 new suppliers which have to be tapped.

. We have shared what has come out. We will verify: Mehra

. There is no accountability for individual cylinders: Rao

. These shops could be made responsible... deploy some persons and do a mix of both by setting up camps: Rao

. Each refiller can give 10 MT per day and to some extent reduce panic.. : Rao

. Suppliers are facing the brunt of public wrath: Rao

. It's dangerous: Court

. Mehra says currently local police is managing.

. Long queues are there and long waiting period: Mehra

. Once reserve is built up in 2-3 days.. assuming we will have cylinders and the reserve.. and then we can have the whole process and make it easy of public.. : Mehra

. Are refillers working round the clock ?: Court

. Yes, if they have the stock : Mehra

. Seth has huge problems...it is impossible for my workers to work with him : Mehra

. Seth should place on affidavit how many customers was he servicing as on March 2021.. he tells everyone I'll serve you..he was probably doing much more. What does it want to do : Mehra

. Then market forces come to my officers that he can't do it because of you: Mehra

. Maybe Seth can appoint a distributor or you create a branch..so that he doens't have to deal with 140 people: Court

. We have communicated to him.. it is for him. He has the domain expertise: Mehra

. He hasn't even given us the bills. My officers have told him...he is just not interested: Mehra

. Every small suppliers was being supplied by him. This means he has the capacity: Mehra

. Court says that earlier, requirement was not that much and hence Seth was probably supplying a lesser quantity to more hospitals.

. Mehra says let it come on affidavit.

. Do you really need an order? You send your officers to the plant : Court

. Unless there is intervention...he can say anything to us: Mehra

. Your officers can see and witness and make a report: Court

. Can we do both .. most nursing homes he was catering to and now these are rushing to court : Mehra

. You have to keep in mind what his capacity is, the whole process takes time : Court

. Let him tell his capacity. We will also file our report: Mehra

. Abhinav Tyagi for Seth Air: Machine has overrun. It has wear and tear.. regarding bills, Linde has to send its bills so that bills can further be raised on Delhi govt

. Due to lack of staff, Seth is on a verge of collapse: Tyagi

. When he goes to hospitals.. paramilitary needs to be there.. yesterday there was a situation at his plant: Tyagi

. Let Delhi govt officials be there to report what is happening: Tyagi

. Can you not post.. 1-2 officers at Seth : Court

. Some of other officers are already there: Mehra

They can see real time.. whether tankers have gone, have come back from Linde : Court

. If someone is to be spoken to at Linde, that person can talk : Court

My officers are doing exactly that : Mehra

We'll take it offline : Rao

. There are problems on the ground but we also need Seth's whereabouts: Rao

. We want to support Seth and be as strong...he can give us a wishlist. But he must perform for people of Delhi : Mehra

. Court suggests making delivery of cylinders decentralised.

. See where the bottlenecks are and deal with it.. consider it offline : Court

We'll try our best to sort it out : Mehra

. If storage is created, this pressure will lessen : Rao

. If storage is created, this pressure will lessen : Rao as he suggests that some unutilised tankers can be diverted from Maharashtra to Delhi

. If there is a shortfall in consumption in Maharashtra..they could be diverted to Delhi temporarily for creating a reserve: Court to ASG Chetan Sharma

. Where there is a dip, it can come ... Karnataka has seen a spike: ASG Sharma

Yes, where ever there is deficiency..: Court

It will be taken up in due earnestness: ASG Sharma

. Mehra refers to the presentation made by Ms Sumita Dawra before the Supreme Court, says there are 1631 tankers across India.

There are 1224 oxygen tankers having capacity 16732 MT. Efforts are being made to take it to 2000 tankers : ASG Sharma

. Centre has already been proactive: ASG Sharma

I'm only patting Centre's back: Mehra

. 24490 MT is the combined capacity (if nitrogen, argan tankers are also converted for oxygen): Mehra

. 8608.. is being transported currently when capacity is at least 50% more: Mehra

There is no dearth of oxygen tankers to take 8608...I was under an incorrect impression that we don't have tankers: Mehra

. The missing puzzle is turn around time..how are we allocating the tanker and oxygen: Mehra

. Please take over all these tankers and manage the tankers: Mehra to Centre

State are withholding tankers: Mehra

Because tankers are not national reserve: Court

Yes: Mehra

I'm sure Union has applied its mind : Court

. As per Solicitor General, only Delhi has this problem..I don't agree.. let's take that position..: Mehra

ASG Sharma objects to Mehra making tainted statements. That's not fair.

He has not made any such statement at least today : Court

. You were to get instructions (on Rajasthan detaining tankers): Court

It was kept for Wednesday: Sharma

SC has said you must supply 700. Why should we get into other States : Court

. Let Delhi govt tell what steps they are taking to augment capacity: Rao as Mehra says Supreme Court has recorded both 700 and 976MT requirment.

. Now there is a Supreme Court order. If you don't undertake this exercise, you will be in contempt. Now this is your job ...this are tankers available but you are not willing to do this job : Court

. We are filing our compliance report before Surpreme Court today ...we will not get into whether it is to supply 700 or fulfill the deficit: ASG Sharma

. We will file before this court also today itself : ASG Sharma

. 433MT reached Delhi at mid night. 307 MT came in at 8:15 am.. we expect by evening there shall be fair enough oxygen: ASG Sharma

. 590 is what you have to deliver. With 420, citizens are dying: Mehra

Let's not get into rhetoric, says ASG Sharma

This is not rhetoric. Is it not a fact? Sorry, Mr Sharma. You may be blind, we are not. How can you be so insensitive: Court

. Let's not get emotional: ASG Sharma

This is an emotional matter. People's life are at stake: Court

. The court can be assured that everybody.. we are struggling.. 433 had reached and 307 reached...things are getting better. Once Supreme Court has said synergise yourself. We are doing everything: ASG Sharma

. We are on simple mathematics. Figures are there in Supreme Court order.. the cryogenic tanker capacity is 16k MT.. we are not talking of others : Court

. We are in the process of taking availability to 2k: ASG Sharma

. If you were to utilise the existing fleet, you may not have to take it to 2k: Court

. Rao says there is a problem of tankers going empty after supply and thus 16k capacity can't be achieved constantly.

. We have to find a temporaty solution to get Delhi stable: Rao

Rao says other States in the country will also be needing tankers.

There are people who are dying because of .5 MT: Rao

. Sanju Mishra: We are running a small Hospital, Muni Maya Ram Jain Hospital. We don't have permission to admit COVID patients but we can't let them die. We are treating. We are not getting oxygen filled up. Because we are small, we shouldn't be neglected.

. Families are in the line to get oxygen.. every day we are losing lives.. Just give me oxygen, I will save lives : Sanju Mishra

. Court comes back to oxygen allocation issue.

. You have to improve it : Court to ASG Chetan Sharma on mobilization of tankers

. Advocate Aishwarya Bhati for Centre: We will get back with clear scientific data. Specialised groups are dealing with this.

How mamy suppliers do you have in that group? : Court

. 138 cryogenic tankers are being imported band 50 are being manufactured: Sharma

. What you are planning and getting is all in future...is it one week or two weeks, we don't know that. Today the whole country is crying for oxygen: Court

. If you were to involve the major suppliers.. : Court

I'm sure they are involved: ASG Sharma

Involve experts.. brilliant minds from IIMs: Court

. I'll flag the issue and get back: ASG Sharma

. Court says its concern is that the fleet is best utilised

. Suppliers are involved on a day to day basis.. Railways, airforce are part of the logistics exercise : Bhati

. We will come back with more concrete suggestions and explanations: Bhati

. It's a suggestion well taken : ASG Sharma on diverting tankers from Maharashtra for the time being.

. Mehra proposes a route for Linde supply.

It has been placed before the Central government

Once it is in the war room, it will be taken care of: ASG Sharma

. This is to optimise oxygen that has to come from East India ..how containers should move to optimise it: Mehra

Mehra explains the route.

. On an ad hoc basis, some day we get 6 containers and 2-3 days we get nothing: Mehra

They (centre) should get into : Court

. Mehra says there is shortfall of 10 containers.

If centre can augment these.. :Mehra

. Kashipur has to supply 30MT per day.. total capacity is 60MT. The stock has been exhausted now. And nobody is looking into that.. : Rao

. Air Liquide Dehradun has experienced power cuts.. which dips capacity.. we are not getting 590 for a variety of reasons.. : Rao

. Rao says the need was to target a higher supply of 700 in order to get actual supply of 590 MT.

. Linde had stock.. they don't have buffer stock right now. Somebody should look into the real numbers : Rao

. If a plant has to deal with 10 states, these are little little things... thought has to go into it : Rao

. We have been given a show cause by govt for not supplying to entities who are not alloted to me : Rohit Ranjan for Goyal Gases

You bring to our notice: Court

ASG Sharma says 12 tankers have been added yesterday.

. You tell us after lunch if they are operational: Court

. 37 tankers are geo tagged : Mehra

. If all the suppliers including Inox, Linde, Air Liquide and other suppliers.. if we can get registration number of all those to keep tab on diversions: Mehra

. Govt should identify it: Court

Data uploaded has registration number: Rao

Mehra says a tanker should be alloted till supply is going on.

Buffer tankers should also be kept so that a tanker on the normal course is not diverted : Rao

. There are several instances that are coming to light.. if amicus could prepare a point wise position.. we will request the empowered group to look into these aspects... closely and regularly maybe: Court

. If EGII could take over all tankers and equitably distribute it.. just consider it : Mehra

. Court breaks for lunch. We'll assemble at 3 pm. We'll look at the status report: Court

. We believe there will be a surge.. the idea is to inform the people when to take recourse to hospitals.. these aspects govt has to proactively communicate: Rao

. Small small steps are getting lost in the larger aspect.. : Rao

. Rao raises issue of fake medicines in the market.

Let them start telling the court that it is being done: Rao

. Try to have ICMR people post lunch. We would want them to make some videos and graphics: Court

It could be sent through WhatsApp: Rao

. This dissemination of education could be done through mohalla clinics.. through mobile announcements : ASG Sharma

. The en mass panic will dissipate.. 60% of it is psychological: ASG Sharma

. One of my court staff he lost his wife suddenly. She was not well. Did not get the test, didn't take medication.. somebody didn't advise.. : Justice Sanghi

Same thing happened in my family..they said fever is gone.. : Justice Palli

. That's why ICMR has to advise .. : Court

We've been awaiting the reply of the Centre. Delhi govt has asked for help.. they should take steps. We're not hearing about army : Senior Advocate Krishnan Venugopal

. There is a news report that Mr Fauci said that India is going to be the cradle of new variants: Venugopal

. Mr Sharma you have to act on this very fast: Court

. There wings of army are already there : ASG Sharma

. They are wanted for civilians.. for field hospitals: Court

. What is the purpose of Reg 301 if you are not using it : Court

Addn Director, CDI said the matter is being looked into. Army being called in aid of civilians...(unclear audio): ASG Sharma

. Steps need to be taken today not after 15 days : Senior Adv Abhinav Vashisht

. If army is not to be brought in, you spell those reasons : Court

It was very actively been looked into : ASG Sharma

. Nature of the request is such.. there is an urgency: Court

. They in principle can't say this is not the situation for armed forces to come in .. this studied silence.. : Venugopal

You take instructions: Court to ASG Chetan Sharma

We meet at 3:10 : Court

. I got a call from Mr Ramesh Gupta that the young lawyer who appeared yesterday had no authority.. : Rahul Mehra

. People are just entering this proceeding and saying whatever they want : Mehra

. I had the authority. I have authority of the people who were in talks with the new management.. : Adv Yashvardhan yesterday said that Rockland Hospital keys could be handed over to Mr Gupta.

. Why did you make the statement when you didn't have authority from the owners: Court

He said he had the keys: Mehra

This is not adversarial. This is for charity purpose.. for lawyers: Yashvardhan

. There was some confusion. We'll sort it out : Ramesh Gupta, Senior Advocate

. Management was ready to give to lawyers.. management had now decided that they wanted to run the hospital: Yashvardhan

Yesterday we learnt from Bar & Bench that this statement was made.. either the management met with my friend..: Adv Abhishek Singh

. Rockland is run by Srivastava Family. Rockland Hospital is now Medeor Hospital: Singh

. It was on my petition. I agree with management that it would run the Hospital and they would give whatever beds to lawyers...the order that keys that will given to BCD is not required: Gupta

. Somebody can give us the facility to (get oxygen)...the filling facility of 100 cylinder be given...in a day or two, we may get attachment (for ICU): Gupta

. Yashwardhan Soam makes submissions.

Stop this there. This is my petition: Gupta

Rockland Hospital Dwarka should be given a timeline: Soam

Counsel for hospital is there. He is make the submission: Court

. Court records order, says there is an intervention application and a plea for modification.

. Intervention is by the owners of the Hospital. Now transpires that Soam had no authority to make a submission or offer keys.. we are dismayed.. we have cautioned about such conduct in future: Court

. The order dated 3/5/2021 in so far as it relates to Rockland Hospital Dwarka stands recalled: Court

. Court records other submissions.

. Court resumes hearing the other issues related to Covid-19

. Mehra reads the previous orders passed by Court.

. Now Supreme Court order on 700 is there. Why to get into what is allocated to other States: Court

. How can they be allowed to say that Delhi is not entitled to 700MT: Court

Let them say..let mystery is over : Mehra

. We've got a table of compliances.. they court may consider looking at it.. : Rao

. Today or tomorrow?: Court

We can take a look at centre today and GNCTD tomorrow: Rao

. 12 tankers that have been allocated are on the road : ASG Sharma

. We are awaiting instructions on army part : ASG Sharma.

ICMR counsel Anurag Ahluwalia is present.

. There is complete lack of information...how to use, keep concentrators.. people are using it in closed rooms. There are so many aspects. How to use oxygen cylinder. How do you identify one. ICMR should step in : Court

. Circulate it on national media... WhatsApp groups. People will know what to believe and what not to : Court

Ahluwalia urges Court to put it in the order for him to take instructions.

. People don't have fever after 4 days..People have to be told.. : Court

What are the tests to be done after COVID. After 7-8 days people are getting complications: Court

. You have to come up with a protocol on COVID treatment.. we've asked State to come up with portal with doctors who want to offer voluntary services : Court

. If it can come in the order.. if it can be crystallised .. : Ahluwalia.

. Batra Hospital ED: it is very difficult for patients to contact doctors and people are relying on WhatsApp forwards...if ICMR can publish a list of medicines.

. It is taking 4-5 days to even consult a doctor: ED Batra Hospital

. If there could be a pool of doctors.. somebody can just dial in : Court

Ahluwalia says that assistance from medical students is being taken.

. We've exhausted our oxygen...we urgently need. We don't want to be next Batra and Jaipur Golden: Muni Maya Hospital

We would provide. We are not able to contact them : Stayakam

. Send it immediately: Court

. There are hospitals which are not designated but have taken patients..they must apply to Delhi govt to get enlisted : Rao

We are trying.. : Hospital

. Please look at the aspect.. : Court to Delhi govt

Let such hospitals tell Delhi govt.. these are the ones that cause diversion: Rao

. We'll get a realistic assessment of what the requirements are : Rao

. People of the city have to be told that you can't be sitting on cylinders..we have to appeal to their conscience: Rao

. It has to be drilled into their heads: Rao

You create a bank.. people will hopefully go and surender.. that they will get back. It is their property: Court

. Allocation is not there right now for a bank : Mehra

At least start the process..: Court

We will place a plan how we will roll it out once reserves are there : Mehra

. The appeal rarely gets reported. Everything irrelevant gets picked up. Media also has to be responsible: Rao

. Is there any appeal from any political party : Court

It will be made : Mehra

. People have to act responsibility: Rao as he informs that a Hospital discharged a patient on 9th day after court passed the order seeking data

. Rohit Ranjan refers to a Republic Bharat show in which political leaders were allegedly misquoting the court proceedings.

I don't know : Court

. One pager handouts.. maybe those are more effective: Mehra

. Rao says that information has to be disseminated better.

. Let it come through a government channel. This is the time they should be using these channels: Rao

. ASG Sharma says the ICMR-AIIMS protocol can be translated in vernacular.

. Mehra suggests that videos of Dr Guleria's could be put on a website.

. I don't know how many people would go to a website.. if the videos could be floated.. through an authentic source: Court

. This is the situation where government has to reach to people: Rao Every day there is a press conference of Chief Minister.. we have to take it forward.. the Amicus' point is well taken : Mehra

. CM speaking is one thing... people's attention span is very limited. What Dr Guleria, Dr Shetty say is taken at face value.. : Rao

. Today morning, Dr Mahajan from Mahajan Imaging had a message.. very informative.. when to get a CT : Court

. Rao says even CT is very harmful.

. Mr Bharti, our MLA, has done a tremendous job.. Mohalla Sabha.. there is a group that Mr Bharti has started. It has been very successful..how local problem of water, sewer connection (are solved) : Senior Adv G Tushar Rao

. ASG Sharma suggests a joint task force.

. Right now there is a joint monitoring group : ASG Sharma

. Let Mohalla clinics come in full play : ASG Sharma

. Some tests were being conducted.. I have a detailed status report: Mehra

. We have 450 Mohalla clinics for curative, diagnostic services : Mehra

. They have limited space.. no waiting area. social distancing norms can't be ensured. Depending on district, they are used for testing.. they have one doctor and one nurse: Mehra

. ASG Sharma says Mohalla clinics are the perfect platform.

. They are the Foundation of the triage.. this is valuable resource: ASG Sharma

. Central govt is acknowledging that Mohalla clinics are a resource: Mehra

. Mohalla clinics are world class : Mehra

. It's like a 20 feet container having 2 rooms. It's for a mohalla.. that's the very nature. It's good for testing...: Mehra

. Is that the best utilisation in the present times : Court

. We don't have numbers to go up.. : Mehra

. This is the time to stand up : ASG Sharma

. We can work out .. let centre guide us. We will do it. You tell us make an exit door, we will: Mehra

. If 751 in place mechanism is used.. the load on hospital will reduce: ASG Sharma

. You have to decentralise.. : Rao

. What tests are being conducted ? : Court

. Non COVID tests free of cost: Mehra

. If you made this infrastructure.. what worth is it if it can't be used for any purpose during the pandemic: Court

. COVID is not an affluent society aliment. It can happen to people who go there : Court

. We are doing COVID tests in some bigger mohalla clinics: Satyakam

. Court notes that schools are closed.

. We'll come back : Mehra Is it not waste of resource..today we are facing dearth of doctors: Court

. These are doctors who are doing it over and above. These doctors are not sitting at home: Mehra

. Adv Ankur Mahindro makes submissions.

. If Private labs can be allowed to set up kiosks : Mahindro

. There is no question of forcing.. nobody bis stopping them from setting up : Court

. Venugopal says labs are taking only a limited number of tests for various reasons.

. The accurate test is tru NAT and CB NAT. It costs 3k and is very accurate.. if somebody would reduce the costs. RT PCR is coming back negative and CB NAT is positive: Venugopal

. This is a commerical aspect..what do we do about it : Court

. Delhi govt has set up a fund.. but if there could be sperate funds for oxygen.. testing .. : Venugopal

. Venugopal comes back to tele consultation via a single number.

. Venugopal says that a doctor has to prescribe when to start taking steroids.

. There is a lot of effort being put in by everyone : Rao

. Notwithstanding tha Mohalla clinic, we are thankful to all of you: Court

. Court comes to the issue of medications.

. The only proven drug is steroid. All others are hit or miss. Remdesivir does not reduce mortality: Venugopal

. There could be a mobile app developed where people are upload particulars.. a pool of doctors can then look in and then say what has to be done : Court

. This model of simply sending these things.. even by whatsapp.. the result is similar: Venugopal

. We try to build up the system step to step : Venugopal

. We were not talking about the DTC buses that are being put to use in daily business.. we were talking about the buses that are used as night shelter : Venugopal on using DTC buses for ferrying the dead.

. I have response to all these : Mehra

. We'll allocate time tomorrow: Court

. Advocate Vipul Lamba says a non COVID patient was denied refilling at the centre.

. We'll get into it : Mehra

. Mehra says that a lot of COVID matters are going to other benches and they should come to this bench.

I'm not talking about PILs... : Mehra

. Mehra says notice was issued in some plea concerning compensation for death due to COVID.

. There can't be any doubt that they need to be compensated.. we have not looked into yet... let it be (before single bench) : Court

. It can't be that Centre won't respond ...we have to plan : Mehra on oxygen supply

. Mehra says information on tankers must come.

. We can take it offline: Rao.

. Let Centre come day after and we'll see their compliances: Rao

Rao says there are some issues in GNCTD portal for payment, plasma, faulty concentrators.

. Rao says that a database of willing plasma donors could be maintained.

. Mr Sharma, you have to answer.. all other compliance we can see later .. you had to do 700: Court

It's very substantial.. I don't have the instructions: ASG Sharma

590 is the allocation..it is not done : Court

. We are placing report before the Surpreme Court: ASG Sharma

. What can't you just say it : Mehra

I want to be sure of the data : ASG Sharma

Everyday lives are lost. It's not as if status report is sought...please discharge your constitutional duty : Mehra

. We rejected your submission yesterday also, Mr Sharma. We are entitled to get into that aspect. We had also passed that order : Court

. Contempt may be the last thing but it is there. Enough is enough. We are not going to take no for an answer. There is no way that you won't supply 700 right away. We won't hear anything except compliance: Court

. Para 29 is very clear. It a direction : Court

Projected demand is 700 : ASG Sharma

Please read para 29 : Court

Centre's own document says 700 : Rao

. Supreme Court says situation must be remedied forthwith and the demand is 700 : Court

. Supreme court has not said 700 : ASG Sharma

. Perhaps the Supreme Court didn't say 976 as of today but please see Centre's amended supply plan : Rao

. Govt document said 700 : Rao

That's what Supreme Court said, Mr Rao : Court

. If after this also you say.. this is very wrong : Court

. Bhati reads the Supreme court order.

. What is the doubt about it? ..: Court also reads from the order.

Alloaction has been increased to 590: Bhati

. Mr Mehra said the requirement .. all that info is availabl

. e and it comes to 700MT : Court

It doesn't. The court may allow us to make the submission tomorrow: Bhati

. Because they made a demand of 300, people should suffer? Central govt is doing to quibble about these little things and let people die? : Court

. You don't know? You may put your head like an ostrich in the sand...we will not : Court as it points out that every day there are hospitals making SoS calls.

. It's unfortunate that we are playing affidavit affidavit when lies are being lost: Mehra

. Centre can do whatever and walk away with these things...: Mehra

. Court dictates order.

. It is brought to our notice that GNCTD is not receiving 700 MT in spite of SC Order.. : Court

. Para 27-29 of the SC order are relevant.. : Court

. We fail to understand what good a compliance affidavit would do when as a matter of fact 700 MT is not delivered.. even earlier quantity of 490.. is not delivered for a single day : Court

. Mr Sharma submits that SC has not directed supply of 700 MT. We disagree. A plain reading shows that the SC gas directed the Centre to supply by making good the deficit: Court

. SC has recorded the submission of Mr Mehra.. (on 700 MT demand).. SC also takes note of the projected demand of 976 per day once medical infrastructure is increased: Court

. Para 29 takes note of the fact that GNCTD had increased their demand on April 20 to 700 MT per day. SC also took note of allocation in favor of Delhi which was 490 MT per day : Court

. SC goes on to state that situation must be remedied forthwith: Court as it says that SC has directed supply of 700 MT.

If there was any doubt, the same is cleared from further reading of the paragraph: Court

. SC has noted the assurance hy SG Tushar Mehta.. that National capital will not suffer.. this assurance has not been fulfilled as small and large nursing homes and individuals are running to us : Court

. We reject the submission that GNCTD is not entitled to receive 700 MT per day in light of existing infrastructure. It pains us that the aspect of supply of oxygen should be viewed in the way is done by centre: Court

. We see the grim reality everyday.. the situation has come to this that hosps have had to reduce the number of beds : Court

. On one hand there is need to augment capacities to meet the rising numbers, while on the other, the existing infrastructure is crumbling and available bed can't be put to use : Court

. We direct central government to show cause why contempt action should not be taken for non compliance of our order on May 1 and Supreme Court order : Court

. We direct the presence of Mr Piyush Goyal and Ms Sumita Dawra (Central Government officers) : Court

. Mehra says a letter has been written by Delhi govt to central government on augmentation.

. Current demand as of yesterday is 856 MT.. 10 days from now.. it will be 976.. all of this is dependent in oxygen. It is not in thin air. It is with facilites: Mehra

. We are undergoing this process : Mehra

. Mehra asks court to look at para 30 of the SC order.

. The para refers to buffer stock.

Mehra reads the paragraph.

. Not only deficit of oxygen but tankers and buffer : Mehra

. Advocate Petal Chandhiok makes submissions on behalf of Venkateswara Hospital, says supply be given in cylinders also.

. ASG Chetan Sharma: I've taken the order. The court may upload it tomorrow morning.

We'll upload it today itself : Court

. Hearing over. Matter to be heard tomorrow.

"Whole country crying for oxygen": Delhi High Court tells Centre as it continues to hear COVID-19 plea: LIVE UPDATES

Bar & Bench

Related Stories