[Oxygen Supply] "Pull Up Your Socks, Get Your House In Order, Will Ask Central Govt To Take Over If You Cannot Do It": Delhi High Court To Delhi Govt.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday thrashed the Delhi Government on distribution of medical oxygen supply after the submissions by one of the suppliers namely Seth Air on its failure of supply oxygen to Maharaja Agrasen Hospital.

Terming the stand of the supplier as being unreasonable and completely false, the Bench comprising of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rekha Palli remarked thus:

"Get your house in order. Enough is enough. If you can't do it, tell us, we will ask Central govt to take over. People are dying!"

The observation came on the submissions of Seth Air that the Delhi Government does not have answer as to the distribution of oxygen supply. The Bench pulled up the the GNCTD by remaking thus:

"Again we are seeing you are only doing distribution of lollipops. This man is saying he has 20 tonnes but doesn't know who to distribute to! And you say you don't have oxygen."

At this point, Udit Rai appearing for the Delhi Government apprised the Court that the supplier's submission was completely false and that all the commitments made have been honoured by the Government.

The bench therefore ordered:

"It is evident that Mr Seth has been diverting that oxygen and possibly selling cylinders in black market. We direct GNCTD to take note and take over their unit. We direct Mr Seth to not cause any obstruction in running of plant under management of officers of GNCTD."

At this juncture, the Bench also went ahead to remark that "We want this unit to be taken over by tomorrow. Let this be an example for others."

Asking the GNCTD to pull up its socks on the aspect of distribution of liquid oxygen not only to larger Hospitals but also to smaller hospitals, the Court directed the Oxygen refillers to provide data on the government's portal.

"We make it clear that in case any of oxygen refillers don't provide the data on the portal, strict action would be taken not just be delhi govt but also the court." The Court ordered.

While making the aforesaid observations, the Bench after being alarmed by the situation also went ahead to remark:

"We are really alarmed by situation that we have discovered today! If we look back, when SG Mehta said there is availability, We were not believing it then! Mehra stated there isn't availability. A person who isn't even in your order, has 20 tonnes."

During the course of hearing, the Bench also pulled up the Government of NCT of Delhi on the issue of black marketing and hoarding of covid medicines and oxygen cylinders.

The Court went ahead to note that there were incidents of black marketing with respect to the oxygen cylinders which is "one of the biggest challenges faced by individuals."

"There is hoarding going on of both medicines and oxygen. You are not doing anything." Remarked the Bench at the outset.

Edited by Nupur Thapliyal