BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has given the Union Government time till Wednesday morning to decide on increasing the allocation of oxygen and Remdesivir to the state, keeping in mind the tragedy at Chamarajanagar where 23 people died due to lack of oxygen on Monday, and a high number of cases being reported from the State.
The court pointed out that while the State required 1,500 metric tonnes of oxygen per day, the Centre has allocated only 850 MT. The supply of Remedesevir too is only 15,800 vials as against the required 35,000 vials as on April 30, it said, adding that the Centre is meeting only 50 per cent of the State’s requirement.
Not agreeing with the Union Government’s counsel that the Centre has to hold consultation and would take a decision on Thursday, a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar observed, “You cannot allow people to die because of shortage of oxygen. Keep aside the process and increase the cap immediately.” It adjourned the hearing to Wednesday.
On the Centre’s statement that the oxygen allocation has been increased from 802 MT a day to 862 MT after the court passed an order, the bench said that the Additional Chief Secretary, Health wrote to the Union Government on April 30 on the requirement of 1,792 MT of oxygen a day by May 5.
It said, “Despite two shocking incidents reported from Chamarajanagar and Kalaburagi and the State writing a letter, the Centre could not make a statement on increasing the quotas.” Questioning the State as to why it has not lifted the entire quota of oxygen allocated by the Centre, the court directed the government to list out guidelines on allocating oxygen to districts and give clarity on the mechanism to supply oxygen to hospitals if there is a sudden shortage.
On allegations of petitioners that the Centre is discriminating against the State in allocating oxygen, the Court said, “We will have to consider issuing directions to the Centre to increase the quota to the state, as oxygen stocks have run out in hospitals, especially in Bengaluru.”