Oxygen Shortage in Delhi - Shocked, dismayed that Government doesn't seem to be mindful of extremely urgent need: Delhi High Court [LIVE UPDATES]

Delhi High Court has convened to hold an urgent hearing on shortage of oxygen supply in Delhi after Max Hospital Patparganj moved the Court saying that it is running out of oxygen and that the lives of 400 patients, out of which 262 are covid patients, are under threat..Max hospital, in its petition, says they have been running from pillar to post and have made number of requests both to the Central Government and the Delhi Government. However, there is no visibility for supply of oxygen to the Hospital from both governments, it is submitted..Live updates from the hearing feature here. .Bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi, Rekha Palli dictates the order. Court records the details of the ban on oxygen supply to industries. .Inox is also represented which says the are producing Oxygen to full capacity: Court.They were supplying as per demand which was never this much: Senior Adv Rajiv Nayar for Inox..The development that we have witnessed over night at Nasik.. where oxygen supply was disrupted due to leak and 82 have died. The deman of oxygen by Max and others dealing with COVID patients has gone up many fold. : Court.Supply of oxygen from established sources like Inox is not able to meet the demand. The responsibility falls on centre to ensure suppy : Court.We direct Centre to protect right to life of citizens who are seriously ill and require medical oxygen and to supply the same by whatever means it is required: Court.If necessary, Centre should divert entire supply from industries particularly steel and petroleum. Transportation from place of production to place of use is also a challenge: Court.Central govt should consider ways and means of transporting Oxygen from plants by either creating a dedicated corridor so that the supply lines are not affected or air lifting the same : Court.This is all that we can say at this stage. What do we do : Court.We have requisitioned extra oxygen for Delhi.. it's being implemented as we speak : Anil Soni advocate for Centre..It's no solace to anybody that you are supplying 400 MT.. centre has all the power and resources at their command.. Even Tata is supplying. Mr Tata will be willing to help. Everyone must be willing to help at this moment..whether is it Tata or...: Court.What have to done about it? While day has gone.. why is it not dawning on your officers: Court on minimising production at Steel, Petroleum industries.Don't get surprised by this petition.. we are surprised that you are surprised: Court .Central government officer Nipun Vinayak joins. .We are back again with a big crisis. What is the decision.. yesterday we told you : Court.Yesterday besides apprising the Dept of Industries, we sent a letter to the Secretary.. : Vinayak .What is the result?: Court.They have sent an amendment today.. wherein it is said ..all steel were exempted. Now only plants with captive oxygen plants are exempted: Vinayak .So you're not diverting oxygen produced from plants that are producing their own, Court asks.Yes : Vinayak .Why is government not waking up to the reality? : Court.Court records the submission. .Steel plants using their own captive oxygen plants are exempted. There is nothing said about petroleum. This only means that steel plants procuring oxygen have been prevented from doing so : Court.We are shocked that the govt does that ..(unclear) reality.. : Court .Director Industries, Senthil Natah has joined : Vinayak .Yes please look .. why this hesitancy? Is running steel plant so important: Court.This is taken after discussing with stakeholders. This can we reviewed: Senthil .How is this that the government is so oblivious to the ground reality? We can't have people die .. yesterday we were told you were trying to import. What happened to that? : Court.We've floated a tender : Senthil.Court expresses disappointment.We called for quotes yesterday itself. There are 3-4 quotes: Vinayak Whatever is there in the country, you don't want to use that.. divert whatever is there right now : Court.If Tatas can divert their oxygen, why can't others do it ? This is the height of greed if we can say that. There is no humanity left or what? : Court.Vinayak says allocation to Delhi increased to 400MT. .That we've been told : Court .They said 700 yesterday. We don't want to get into it...the reality is that there is no oxygen. you have to arrange. Hospitals have run dry. We have Max before us. What about us : Court.1-2 weeks your industries can wait. You've not even thought in that direction. Human lives are not that important for the State it means : Court.We are shocked and dismayed that government doesn't seem to be mindful to the extremely urgent need of medical oxygen : Court.Court resumes order. .Government can very well divert the Production of oxygen from Petroleum for captive use. Even if these industries run at lower capacities till such time oxygen is imported..for which tender have been floated, heavens are not going to fall : Court.Hell will break lose (if oxygen is not supplied). We direct centre to take over production of oxygen from steel plants, if necessary from petroleum plants for supply to oxygen even if it means that such industries have to stop production (for the time being) : Court.We direct such industries particularly Steel to make their oxygen production available to Central Government : Court.Oxygen is on the way : Senior Adv Rajiv Nayar for Inox.Court records that 2000 cubic mt oxygen is on the way to Max, Patparganj..In about two hours : Court .Court records that there are apprehension of law and order problem on the way. .We direct Centre to provide safe passage .. to that such supplies are not obstructed for any reason whatsoever: Court.Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra: If Chief Secretary can be given the demands by the hospitals so that he can put it to the Centre Chief secretary.. otherwise there will be a petition very half an hour .Court says States have their own channel..Court may not pass the order. I will do whatever ..: ASG Chetan Sharm .We've already passed the order: Court.We'll add to that or modify the order after 20- 30 mins..but Mr Sharma you were not there : Court.The Secretary, Industries is directed to appear tomorrow: Court .Please don't pass the order today : ASG Sharma .We can't postpone it to tomorrow. We are willing to give 30 mins. Your Secretaries can join (in 30 mins) : Court.We'll reassemble at 9:20 pm. By that time order will be typed out : Court.Hearing resumes. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta present. Sumita Dabra has joined from Industries Dept. She says she is also COVID positive..Purpose is to appraise the court of some facts : Mehta.Secretary concerned is in ICU: Mehta.Whatever attempts are required to be made are being made to effectively supply: Mehta.Very senior cabinet minister was in contact with Delhi CM to ensure that tankers reach : Mehta.Oxygen is on the way and (urgency has been met)... if the Court can permit Ms Dabra to assist (on procurement): Mehta.It is technically not possible to switch of and make industries into oxygen making plant..: Mehta .Explains that industries take some time to shut down .We're happy that you're hearing Mr Solicitor: Court.We just want to first tell you what the position in .. yesterday we were told that an order was passed : Court refers to the ban on oxygen order..In pursuance of yesterday's orders, the amendment is that steel plants producing their own captive oxygen can continue: Court.We have been informed that need for oxygen for medical supply has gone up 5 times. We are dealing with lives of thousands and thousands: Court.There are other hospitals that have not come before the court, that may need oxygen. And not only Delhi requires oxygen. It is squarely the responsibility of the State to ensure supply: Court.Officers are discharging duties beyond hours. Decision making is not always at their level: SG Mehta.If the emergency has subsided, I can take instructions and address the Court tomorrow: Mehta.There is a tweet today that Delhi govt has received the oxygen: Mehta.Patparganj hospital will get oxygen in two hours. But there are also other hospitals facing shortage: Court.We are saying that you are not exploring other alternatives. We are not saying that you are being unfair: Justice Palli.We want you to undertake maximum procurement from all sources. Beg, borrow, steal, whatever, you have to provide: Court.You have plenary sovereign power. No industry will say no to you. You must take over: Court.There are things beyond my control, so let me take instructions and tell you tomorrow: Mehta.If the needs of the petitioners are met, we can take up the matter in the morning. But what about other hospitals facing shortage?: Court.Court cites dire situation in Ganga Ram Hospital.I cannot take the responsibility of assuring that hospitals will not run out before tomorrow morning: Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra for Delhi NCT.For Max Hospital Vaishali and Gurgaon, there is capacity of only 8 hours, which will not last till morning: Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi.Mr Mehta, you will have to take this decision right away: Court.There is no industry in Delhi producing oxygen? Court .Mehra: None.Additional Secretary Sumita Dawra, in charge of oxygen supply, addresses Court..We allowed industrial cylinders to be used for medical purposes. Allowed Argon and Nitrogen tankers for the same: Dawra.We can use industrial oxygen today because of the decision taken last year: Dawra.Country's production capacity, both industrial and medical around 7,200 Metric Tonne a day. Requirement is over 8,000 MT now: Dawra.Mostly medical oxygen being produced by manufacturers. In Maharashtra, Gujarat, UP hardly any oxygen used of industries: Dawra.Stock from steel plants being added for medical use: Dawra.When cases have increased rapidly, there were conflicting demands for oxygen. We have been doing intensive meetings with states, based on which we have done mapping for oxygen need: Dawra.There are more cases in some states, where oxygen is not produced. So there are logistical issues: Dawra.We were told all this earlier. Fact of the matter is that there is shortage. It is there for us to see. We cannot shut our eyes to this: Court.We appreciate steps taken to divert oxygen. But today you said, plants can use captive oxygen produced by them: Court.We cannot see people dying because oxygen is not there: Court.There is nothing else that we are doing: Dawra .We have no doubt about that, we have a lot of respect for that: Court.140 MT was to be supplied today. In Faridabad plant, only 60 MT was permitted to be filled. For 8 hours, vehicle was not allowed to move: Rahul Mehra.Every single vehicle we have to micromanage. 370 MT was allocated by Centre. Only 200-250 MT reached Delhi: Mehra.Allocation is fine, but it needs to reach the hospitals: Mehra.Inox (oxygen producer) has contractual obligations to 45 hospitals. It is not that state government has to supply oxygen: Rajiv Nayar clarifies.Mr Mehra, somebody wants to give you instructions: SG Mehta .Are you calling to give instructions?: Mehra asks SG.Our instructions are that Delhi is facing an alarming situation. Everyone is saying oxygen is required. What is the purpose of taking instructions from Delhi government?: Mehra.Please mute yourself and call the Deputy CM right away: Justice Sanghi.Why are you not trying to get oxygen from industries? It is a little sad for us to tell you that: Justice Palli to Dawra.You may have only found out from industries if they can provide excess oxygen they produce. You have to procure every metric tonne that is required for patients. It is your responsibility, you have to go a step further: Justice Sanghi.We cannot afford to lose lives. That is the difference in approach in our minds and your mind: Court.It is a question of commercial interests on one hand and thousands of lives on the other: Court.Commercial considerations are not weighing with the government: SG Mehta.We can address the Court tomorrow: SG Mehta .Our concern is that nothing should happen in the night: Court.In the meantime, if there are any casualties, you will have to take responsibility: Court to Centre.Mehra: If Centre is unable to take responsibility, how can State can be expected to? They are in the driver's seat, we can just facilitate..There is some lack of communication of honesty somewhere: SG Mehta.During this crisis, we are not interested in any of this: Court.Our oxygen has reached the hospital: Nayar informs Court.SG Mehta: We have a responsibility of only allotting oxygen. Allotted quantity, increased to 480 MT, will reach Delhi..Mehta shares screenshot of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's tweet.480 MT is allocated, when it is going to come, we don't know: Mehra .It will come in two days: SG Mehta.It is for Delhi government to internally distribute oxygen. Transportation has to be facilitated by state government: SG Mehta.Centre can facilitate corridor with paramilitary forces for transport of oxygen: Mehra requests.Obstructions in other states are happening. It falls on you [Centre] to ensure that oxygen reaches Delhi borders: Court.There is no difficulty in providing that: SG Mehta agrees.Now that it has been stated that 480 MT has been allocated, we will take your assurance that it will be supplied with protection: Court.Will it reach today itself? Justice Palli .SG Mehta, unsure: We will provide police protection..Shalimar Bagh and Patparganj Max Hospitals have received the oxygen: Court informed.Court takes note of allocation order passed by Centre. Dictates order..Centre has assured that there will be unobstructed supply of oxygen to Delhi. We hope that the requirements of hospitals and oxygen supply will continue to COVID patients and others until we take up the matter tomorrow: Court.Court to take up matter tomorrow at 3:00 PM.

Oxygen Shortage in Delhi - Shocked, dismayed that Government doesn't seem to be mindful of extremely urgent need: Delhi High Court [LIVE UPDATES]

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