‘Delhi got more oxygen than they asked, up to AAP govt to rationalise’: Harsh Vardhan

Harsh Vardhan's statement comes at a time when Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has been repeatedly flagging the shortage of oxygen for the last few days.

Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday claimed Delhi has been issued more oxygen than the Arvind Kejriwal government asked for to treat the seriously-ill Covid-19 patents in the city and asserted it’s up to the state government to use it wisely. “Delhi has been allotted more than the (oxygen) quota they had asked for, and Delhi CM even thanked PM for that yesterday... Now to rationalise the quota in a timely manner and the responsibility to finely plan it lies with state government,” Harsh Vardhan was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare during a high-level meeting to review Covid-19 management (ANI File Photo)

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The Union minister’s statement comes at a time when CM Arvind Kejriwal has been repeatedly flagging the shortage of oxygen for the last few days and the Centre has claimed it has been supplying the key element for the treatment of critical Covid-19 patients. Earlier in the day, 20 patients at a hospital in Delhi died due to a shortage of oxygen.

Harsh Vardhan also said the Centre has assisted the Delhi government with the transportation of oxygen. "Earlier, the CM said they are having problem in the transportation of oxygen after which central government assured they will ensure unhindered transportation. The government also assured that strict action will be taken against those who try to create hindrance in transportation," the Union minister told ANI.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court also hit out at the Delhi government over its management of the crisis and told it to arrange tankers for the transportation of liquid oxygen. "It's not that you will just write and keep waiting. What is the nodal office doing? You had to speak to the suppliers in the last three days. You knew where the supply was coming from. Get in touch with the suppliers. We cannot help you at every moment," the court told the Delhi government.

Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal also wrote to the chief ministers of all states and Union territories seeking support in meeting the oxygen demand in the city. “I am writing to all CMs requesting them to provide oxygen to Delhi if they have spare. Though Central govt. is also helping us, the severity of corona is such that all available resources are proving inadequate,” Kejriwal tweeted.

Arvind Kejriwal pointed to the unprecedented rise in Covid-19 cases in the last few days and told states that the city does not produce any oxygen, following which many hospitals in the city are facing an acute shortage. “Daily supplies of oxygen to Delhi are woefully short of our requirements,” he said in the letter, according to his office.