'Beg, borrow, steal..It is your responsibility': Delhi High Court slams Centre on oxygen crisis

The court hit out at the Centre while hearing a petition filed by Max Healthcare which runs a number of hospitals in Delhi.

The bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli called Centre's decision to not stop oxygen supply to industries completely ridiculous.

"Even if these industries are run at lower capacity since medical oxygen is needed, heavens are not going to fall. But with the stoppage of oxygen at this stage hell will break loose," the bench lambasted the Centre.

"Today, Max is before us, and we are sure soon there will be other hospitals too. Whatever Inox is supplying, is fine, but we are surprised that despite yesterday's order you haven't done anything," the bench said.

"We don't care, beg, borrow, steal or requisition new plants if you want. The citizen can only fall back on the state. It is the responsibility of the government," said the judges.

"If Tatas can divert oxygen produced from their steel plants why can't others. There is no sense of humanity or what? The government can divert oxygen from steel and petroleum industries that are producing oxygen for their use," they said.

"Please look into the gravity of the situation. Thousands of lives are at stake. Do you want to see thousands of people die?"asked Justices Palli and Sanghi.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who represented the Centre, told the Court that oxygen has been supplied to Max Hospitals at Patparganj and Shalimar Bagh, add more oxygen is on its way and reach the hospital shortly.

Lawyers representing Max hospitals said the Vaishali and Gurgaon facilities had oxygen supply only for eight hours. On this the court said the oxygen shortage has become a national emergency and called for exercising sovereign power.

"Why is the Centre not waking up to the gravity of the situation? We are shocked and dismayed hospitals running out of oxygen but steel plants are running," the high court said.

Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said a 24x7 control room has been set up so that state governments can raise SOS if their trucks carrying oxygen are stuck somewhere or if movement of the vehicle is being hindered.

On Tuesday, the Centre had told furnished a break up of oxygen supply to the states facing shortage under which Maharashtra was allotted 1,646 metric tonnes of oxygen, followed by Uttar Pradesh which was given 752 metric tonnes and Delhi which was allotted 378 metric tonnes.