NEW DELHI: Taking note of the overstretched health infrastructure due to a Covid wave, the Delhi High Court on Monday asked asked the Centre to look into the aspect of shortage of oxygen supply in Delhi hospitals on an urgent basis.
It also asked the Centre to examine the availability of oxygen in different states for diverting it to badly-hit Covid areas.A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli directed the Centre and Delhi government to file affidavits by Tuesday disclosing hospital-wise availability of beds for COVID-19 patients here.
It said both the governments in affidavits shall also give details as to how many hospital beds are with or without ventilators and oxygen support. “Central government shall examine the availability of oxygen in different states and its need for treatment of COVID-19 patients so that oxygen can be diverted to areas where there is a surge in cases and where it is most required,’ the bench said.
It also directed Inox, the firm which earlier supplied oxygen to Delhi hospitals and has suddenly stopped, to restore the oxygen supply immediately. The high court was told that the firm was supplying oxygen to other state.
“We direct Inox to honour its contract and supply oxygen to Delhi government and hospitals here and restore 140 metric ton oxygen supply to Delhi immediately which shall inturn be distributed to needy hospitals.”The petitioner, an advocate, said many clinics have stopped home collection of in view of the AAP government’s 24-hour diktat.