While listening to a plea concerning oxygen shortage by Maharaja Agrasen Hospital in Delhi, the Delhi High Court came to learn that Central government increased Oxygen allocation to AAP-run Delhi government three days ago but till now Arvind Kejriwal hasn’t taken any steps to pick up the increased allocation. The Oxygen plants haven’t been approached!
A division bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rekha Pillai was hearing the plea today. The argument with advocate Rahul Mehra, representing the Delhi government, went something like this:
Court: If allocation was done three days back, why didn’t you exercise your option to look for tankers? Your political head has himself been an administrative officer, he knows how it works.
Court: If allocation was done 3 days back, why didn’t you exercise your option to look for tankers? Your political head has himself been an administrative officer, he knows how it works.
Why don’t you get your officer here, he should answer.
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) April 24, 2021
Court then asks an officer of the Delhi government about what they had done about the tankers. They are told even nitrogen and organ rangers are not there in Delhi.
“Why only in Delhi? Have you contacted the Central ministry?” Questions Court and at an evasive answer, observes, “The problem is you think allocation is done so everything will be served at your doorstep but that’s not how it works. After allocation, have you made any effort for the tankers to collect the Oxygen?”
Rahul Mehra states that the Central government was supposed to supply as per the order. The Court; “You also can’t be so naive, when all states are arranging their own supply after allocation, you need to do the same.”
Delhi has been allocated 480 MT of Oxygen as was demanded by the Arvind Kejriwal government.
Hearing to the arguments on the plea in Delhi High Court today it has also caught eye that the Agrasen Hospital, which had filed the plea, is not even in the list of hospitals which are to get supply of oxygen.
BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya later tweeted that in December 2020, Central government had sanctioned funds to set up 8 Pressure Swing Absorption Plants for production of oxygen. Why only one has become operational till date, asked Delhi High Court in its order?
Kejriwal is responsible for the oxygen crunch in Delhi.
In Dec 2020, Central Govt had sanctioned funds to set up 8 Pressure Swing Absorption Plants for production of oxygen, why only one has become operational till date, asked Delhi HC in its order.
Delhi Govt had no answers… pic.twitter.com/mFjFnbmOJn
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 24, 2021
It staggers mind that efforts are not made even to pick up the Oxygen supply. Who benefits from the heap of dead bodies is a question which is a logical corollary.
