[COVID-19 crisis] "Delhi represents the nation, there is hardly anyone who is ethnically Delhiite:" Supreme Court urges Centre to save lives

In view of concerns that Delhi may not have been allocated enough oxygen to battle the COVID-19 crisis that is unfolding in the national capital, the Supreme Court today urged the Centre to do whatever can be done to push through and save lives..In making the appeal, Justice DY Chandrachud was also prompted to highlight that Delhi, in some ways, represents India, given the diverse kinds of people who have settled there. ."Delhi represents the nation and there is hardly any ethnically Delhite ... You have to push through since you have to save lives Mr Solicitor. You have a special responsibility as the Centre", he remarked. .Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Court today that Delhi was given 490 MT of oxygen, although it has now demanded 700 MT..Justice Chandrachud pointed out that there is a 123% increase in demand for oxygen when it comes to Delhi. ."Delhi shows the demand had increased where there was 123 percent increase and revised need was 700 MT and then you say you allocated 490 MT? ... If there is a 200 MT deficit then you should give that straight away to Delhi. Centre has an important responsibility as far as citizens of Delhi is concerned. You have said surplus is there in the steel sector. Then use that and supply to Delhi ... Between today and Monday there will be 500 deaths in our hands", Justice Chandrachud observed. .Justice Ravindra Bhat weighed in, "Delhi is a non-industrial state like Goa, Uttarakhand and everybody cannot be on same board ... Centre's proactive role in procuring the tankers is very important now."."I will highlight those steps, but answering to Justice Chandrachud 500 deaths are not due to Oxygen supply", SG Mehta responded. ."But we have to do something", Justice Chandrachud emphasised. .In turn, SG Mehta pointed out that the Centre has to walk a tight rope when it comes to allocating resources between States.".... the tight rope walking we are doing and when we divert a tanker from someone else it will cut short somewhere else. I have something in mind, I will discuss and comeback" he told the Court..The Court, however, responded, "As a national authority which has a responsibility to the national capital you are answerable to the citizens.".The hearing in the matter is before a three-Judge Bench headed by Justice Chandrachud along with Justices L Nageswara Rao and Bhat. .Read a live account below:.Supreme Court hears suo motu case concerning COVID-19 [LIVE UPDATES]