At a time when the Union and many state governments have drawn flak for their inept handling of the oxygen needs of those who’ve tested positive for COVID-19, the courts have come down hard on them, seeking replies and resolutions at the earliest.
While the Allahabad High Court said yesterday, May 4, that the death of Covid patients beause of lack of oxygen is no less than genocide, in the Supreme Court, a bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud today said Delhi could probably learn from the Covid-19 management model of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in Mumbai.
Justice Chandrachud was hearing an appeal by the Union government against the recent Delhi High Court order mulling contempt action against officials of the Union government and state for not supplying 700 metric tonnes of oxygen to Delhi as per the Supreme Court order.
The Supreme Court also put on hold the contempt notice issued by the Delhi High Court over shortage of oxygen supplies to the national capital Delhi. “We stay the operation of the contempt notice issued by Delhi High Court. This stay will not be a restraint on Delhi High Court to monitor the on-ground situation on other heads,” the Supreme Court said.
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“What we see in the media, Bombay Municipal Corporation has done some remarkable work…not disrespecting Delhi but we can maybe see what was done by BMC. Maharashtra is also an oxygen supply state,” Justice DY Chandrachud was quoted as saying.
The Allahabad High Court said: “This state of affairs that we have come to know about the management of an online portal created by the Government today casts a shadow upon the COVID 19 Hospital Management.”
It added: “Death of Covid patients just for non-supplying of oxygen to the hospitals is a criminal act and not less than a genocide by those who have been entrusted the task to ensure continuous procurement and supply chain of the liquid medical oxygen.”
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For a little over a week now, social media timelines and primetime news has been taken over by mind-numbing visuals of relatives of people whose lungs have been hit by COVID-19 crying for oxygen. Many have perished in the long wait for a refill or for supply to resume.
On April 21, 24 people on oxygen support died following disruption in supply due to a leak in the oxygen tank.On April 25, 25 people died in Delhi’s Gangaram Hospital following oxygen shortage.
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On May 1, in Delhi’s Batra Hospital 12 COVID positive patients in the ICU died. This included the hospital’s gastroenteritis head, 62-year-old RK Himthani.
Meanwhile, long queues continue in front of oxygen refill units and desperate pleas for oxygen leads continue on Twitter, which has brought together volunteers. All so that no one gasps for breath.
India reported 382,000 COVID19 cases in the last 24 hours ending 9 am on May 5. Of these, Maharashtra recorded 51,880 cases, while Karnataka reported 44,631. Active cases in the country presently exceed 3,487,000.
