[COVID-19] "We want 700 MT Oxygen supplied to Delhi on a daily basis and we mean business:" Supreme Court to Central govt

The Supreme Court on Friday put its foot down stating that 700 metric tonnes (MT) of Oxygen have to be supplied to Delhi by the Central government on a daily basis to deal with the COVID-19 situation.

The remarks were made by the Court after Delhi government standing counsel Rahul Mehra mentioned that Delhi has received 86 MT of Oxygen till 9 am on Friday and that 16 MT is in transit.

"We want 700 MT Oxygen to be supplied to Delhi on daily basis and we mean business. It has to be supplied and we don't want to be coercive. Our order will take time to be uploaded by 3 pm. But you proceed and arrange the oxygen," said Justice DY Chandrachud.

Don't make us go firm, he added.

"You have to supply 700 MT oxygen every day till we further order," Justice MR Shah, who was on the Bench along with Justice Chandrachud, weighed in.

The Supreme Court had, on May 5. stayed a Delhi High Court order of May 4 by which show cause notice for contempt of court was issued to the Central government for its failure to meet Oxygen supply benchmark for the national capital.

Hauling up government officers for contempt of court will not solve the Oxygen crisis faced by Delhi, the Supreme Court had observed while granting stay in an appeal preferred by the Central government against the Delhi High Court order.

However, the top court had, while granting stay, maintained that the 700 MT oxygen requirement has to be met by the Central government.

It had then asked the Centre to submit a tabulated plan detailing how it would be meeting oxygen requirements for the national capital.