Oxygen Crisis: SC directs Centre to supply 700 MT oxygen to Delhi daily

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has made clear to the Centre that it will have to keep supplying 700 MT of oxygen to Delhi every day till its order is modified. The SC also said that by this directive they meant “business” and non-compliance may force it to go “firm”.

A bench comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah said that the Centre will have to ensure supply of 700 MT of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) to the national capital daily.

In the proceedings conducted via video conferencing, the bench on Friday was told by senior advocate Rahul Mehra, appearing for the Delhi government that the national capital had received “86 MT today till 9 am and 16 MT is in transit”.

“We want 700 MT to be supplied to Delhi on a daily basis. We mean business, Please don’t force us to be in a situation where we have to be firm,” the bench said, adding it cannot be that the supply is made for a day then so many caveats like “containers are not there” and there are difficulties in transportation are being put.

Two days ago, the top court had stayed the contempt proceedings initiated by the Delhi High Court against central government officials for non-compliance of direction to supply 700 MT of oxygen to Delhi.

SC had also said that this is an all-India pandemic situation and the Centre will have to find ways to ensure oxygen supply to the national capital.

On May 6, the Centre apprised the Supreme Court that it had complied with the order and instead of 700 MT LMO, it ensured supply of 730 MT to Delhi.