INOX told the Delhi High Court that it is supplying oxygen to more than 800 hospitals across the country and only the ones in Delhi are “complaining”.
Representation image (File Photo: IANS)
A Delhi High Court bench comprising of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli, on Monday, heard the plea concerning the COVID-19 situation in the national capital and the aspect of oxygen shortage in hospitals treating COVID 19 patients.
Oxygen supplier INOX was a party in the matter.
INOX told the Delhi High Court that it is supplying oxygen to more than 800 hospitals across the country and only the ones in Delhi are “complaining”.
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According to INOX, this is happening because its supplies for Delhi have been cut down by the Centre and the majority of its production has been allocated to Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
From 105 metric tonnes, its allocation to Delhi has further been reduced to 80 metric tonnes, INOX said.
INOX’s counsel told the Delhi High Court, “Moreover we have been asked to transport another 80 MT from Air Liquide, Panipat. From producer to transporter now? Why should we take care of the transportation of the third party?”
INOX said the orders it is receiving from the Delhi government and the Centre are also contradictory, which has left it in a quandary.
“The Delhi government has issued an order to supply 125 MT to hospitals yesterday while the Centre has also issued an order yesterday, revising our allocation to only 80 MT to Delhi. What should we do?” Siddarth Jain, chief of INOX, told the court.
“We are supporting to 800 hospitals across the county. Why only hospitals from Delhi are complaining?” he asked adding that out of the 490 metric tonne allocation, Delhi is getting only around 300 metric tonne.
“Because of this shortage, hospitals are sending us SOS. We haven’t slept for the last seven days. Please sort this and let us know how much we need to supply to which hospitals,” he added.
Jain also alleged that his trucks are being diverted midway “completely opposite to the plan provided to us”.
The court also observed that the testing labs have constraints such as staff shortage and that it has already passed directions to Customs for priority clearance of imports related to COVID testing.
(With agency inputs)
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