"You want people to die? Tell us when you are going to increase Oxygen quota?" Karnataka High Court to Central govt

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday took strong exception to the Central government's lack of commitment to increase the supply of oxygen quantity to the State of Karnataka in spite of the rising number of COVID-19 cases and related deaths in the State. .The Court was informed on Tuesday that while the daily requirement of oxygen in the State is 1,792 Metric Tonnes (MT), the Centre had increased the quantity from 802 to 865 MT only.."How many more people to die? After two days you will increase quota? Where there are less cases, oxygen supply is more. Is there any justification? Tell us when you are going to increase quota...You want people to die?".When the counsel for the Central government informed the Court that it would be holding a meeting tomorrow to take decision regarding increase in oxygen supply, the Bench which led by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka was unimpressed. ."Kumar (Counsel for the Centre), it is very unfortunate that you cannot make a statement. Hospitals are not admitting patients because there are no beds," the Court said. "Today how are you going to provide oxygen? Today you must increase it. People will die," it added..The Court then proceeded to record the Central government's stance in its order. ."Learned advocate for the Centre states that he is unable to make any statement without holding meeting," recorded the Bench which also consisted of Justice Aravind Kumar..The Court was hearing a case registered suo motu on Covid-19 management in the State after it received two letters in relation to the same. .The Court, on Tuesday, was also apprised of latest developments in Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar and Kalaburagi districts wherein many patients had died in hospitals due to shortage of oxygen. The Court, therefore, passed the following directions:Centre to consider increasing the quota of oxygen and inform the Court tomorrow;State to place on record existing guidelines for allocation of oxygen to hospitals in thee various cities;Whether any mechanism is available under which a hospital which has run out oxygen can immediately ask for release of Oxygen..On procurement of Remdesivir drug administered to COVID-19 patients, the Court was informed that as on April 30, the requirement was for 35,000 vials of the drug in the State. However, the State is getting only 15,800 vials per day from the Centre which is less than half the requirement, said the Bench. "State is not getting Remdesivir even to the extent of 50 percent"..The Court said that it would pass detailed directions on the subject on Wednesday.