E-Paper
Covid-19: Urge Centre to increase quota of oxygen in Delhi, says Manish Sisodia as Capital continues to see shortage
Addressing a press briefing, Sisodia said only the Centre has the right to decide the quota of oxygen for each state.
As Delhi continues to face a shortage of oxygen to treat the increasing number of patients of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia urged the Centre on Wednesday to increase the quota of oxygen.
Addressing a press briefing, Sisodia said only the Centre has the right to decide the quota of oxygen for each state. “There has been a sudden spike in the demand for oxygen in Delhi due to an exponential rise in the number of patients from Delhi as well as from neighbouring states such as Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan among others,” he added.
Pointing out the severe need for more oxygen, the Delhi deputy chief minister requested the Centre to increase the 370 metric tonne (MT) quota to 700 MT.
“However, the Centre has not taken any steps in this regard. Since last year, the entire country has together fought against Covid-19. State governments, central government, societies, colonies cannot fight this on their own and everyone has to join hands and fight this together. The Centre has always supported us (Delhi) and I request them to keep up this spirit and increase the quota,” Sisodia said.
Also Read| Only 5 hours of oxygen left at Ganga Ram hospital as Covid-19 crisis worsens
He also alleged that the set quota of oxygen is unable to reach Delhi. Sisodia referred to a report which stated some hospitals in Delhi faced scarcity of oxygen during the day because an official from Haryana government stopped the trucks which were coming from a plant in Faridabad to deliver the gas meant for Delhi and other states.
"Today the Centre intervened and then the oxygen was released from the plant in Faridabad," the Delhi deputy CM said and highlighted another similar incident from Tuesday where a central minister had to intervene to resolve the issue.
Few hospitals in Delhi have managed to receive basic but insufficient quantities of oxygen to handle the increasing number of cases. The Ganga Ram hospital on Tuesday night got 10,500 cubic metres of oxygen while the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital received 10 tons of the gas. Both hospitals have said these supplies are insufficient.
Delhi, one of the worst hit-regions in the country has so far added 905,541cases and 12,638 deaths due to the Covid-19 disease. On Tuesday, the national capital saw the highest ever single spike in its cases and deaths after 28,395 people tested positive and 277 died, according to the health department’s bulletin.