New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the Centre clashed again over the supply of oxygen to Delhi during the second wave of the Covid epidemic, according to a report following a soaring rate of deaths in the capital. Sources in the central government say the report is the interim report of a Supreme Court audit team. According to AAP, the report is false and is part of ‘malicious and false propaganda’.
Delhi’s claim of 1,140 Metric Tonnes was four times the amount calculated based on bed capacity, which was only 289 MT, says an interim report the Centre submitted to the Supreme Court. A copy of the panel’s report was requested by the court. It includes the recommendations of the National Task Force set up by the Supreme Court on the assessment, supply, and distribution of oxygen across the country.
The sub-group, headed by AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria, includes Delhi Government Principal Home Secretary Bhupinder Bhalla, Max Healthcare Director Sandeep Buddhiraja, Union Jal Shakti Ministry Joint Secretary Subodh Yadav and Sanjay Kumar Singh of the Petroleum and Oxygen Safety Organization (PESO). The damning observations regarding Delhi’s ‘inflated’ oxygen needs are from a PESO study that is included in the interim findings.
A study said that the average oxygen consumption in Delhi ranged between 284 and 372 MT from April 29 to May 10. The study added that the infrastructure was insufficient for storing the 700 MT of oxygen that the Supreme Court ordered the Centre to supply Delhi. A PESO study found that Delhi had ‘surplus oxygen’, which affects supplies in other states and could lead to a disaster in the future.
It was noted that there is a gross discrepancy (about four times) between the actual oxygen consumption claimed (1140MT) and the calculated consumption by formula (289MT) referring to a presentation made before the sub-group. Consequently, skewed information was provided and oxygen requirements for the entire region were significantly higher. PESO said that a total of four Delhi hospitals have indicated very high oxygen consumption with very few beds.
Delhi’s overstated demands are in line with the Centre’s assertions. According to AAP, the report does not exist. In April, as the second wave of Covid swept through the country, several hospitals in Delhi posted SOS for oxygen on social media and some even went to court. Manish Sisodia questioned whether those people begging and crying for oxygen were lying. ‘Were the hospitals making SOS calls lying?’ he asked.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said the Delhi government denied the report to hide its failures. As Mr Patra stated, ‘The Delhi Chief Minister (Arvind Kejriwal) hurts 12 other states. It is shocking that they can do politics over oxygen’. He also tweeted that a copy of the report is with the Delhi government.
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According to the sub-group, Delhi should be assured 300 MT of oxygen and an additional quota of 100 MT should also be made available so that it can be lifted by 4 pm. Delhi needs to keep a buffer stock of 50-100 MT for any emergency, the report says. According to the group, Delhi’s average daily requirement for oxygen is 400 MT, with hospitals setting up oxygen plants and oxygen concentrators. The Supreme Court will consider the interim report on June 30.
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