New Delhi: It was an offense of a different nature but quite a serious one.
The Supreme Court oxygen audit panel has blamed the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi for ‘exaggerating’ the oxygen requirement by more than four times during the April 25-May 10 peak period of the second Covid-19 wave.
The audit team also informed the Supreme Court that the supply of excess oxygen to the national capital in effect could have affected supply to 12 high caseload states.
Noting the audit report, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, requested on Friday that “accountability” for such a grave blunder be established.
“SC oxygen audit team finds Delhi Govt inflated oxygen needs by four times during peak & affected supply to 12 high caseload states. Hope accountability is fixed for disrupting oxygen supply across India,” Mr. Goyal tweeted.
According to the results of the SC-appointed oxygen audit sub-group, there was a “gross mismatch” of about four times between actual oxygen use and ‘calculated consumption’ determined using the formula…
Delhi government claimed a demand of 1140 MT of oxygen against the ‘calculated consumption’ as per the formula based on bed capacity at 289 MT only.
Even the Petroleum and Oxygen Safety Organisation has told the audit group Delhi had “surplus oxygen.”
It may be mentioned here that the AAP government had raised ‘alarm’ about the Oxygen shortage, and based on its plea, the Supreme Court bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud on May 5 had directed the union government to maintain the supply of 700 MT of oxygen to Delhi.
Oxygen shortage became a big issue during the peak season of the second wave of COVID-19.
There were repeated reports, especially in a section of western media, that hospitals in the national capital continued to send desperate messages for emergency oxygen supplies.
“At least 12 patients, including a doctor, died when a prominent hospital ran out of oxygen,” reported BBC on its website on May 2.
According to sources, several prominent hospitals in Delhi “are depending on regular oxygen deliveries but are unable to procure.”
In fact, by April 27, 2021, when Covid-19 infections touched the 16 lakh mark, it was reported that several states have “reported shortages of medical oxygen for a growing pool of patients.”
The Government of India also drew out a plan to import 50,000 metric tonnes of medical oxygen to cater to the rising demand.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was also directed to float a tender for the import.
Another report by Crisil said, by the second week of April the demand for medical oxygen in India witnessed a five-fold jump.
During the first wave in 2020, the demand for liquid medical oxygen (LMO) increased from 700 metric tonnes per day (MTPD) to 2,800 MTPD.
But during the second wave, it touched 5,000 MTPD.
Delhi BJP, in a tweet on June 22, flayed the AAP regime and said, “Despite having enough vaccines, Delhi government is not giving it to people and hoarding it to create artificial shortage as they did for oxygen.”
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