Delhi HC, Allahabad HC On Oxygen Shortage: ‘Are You Living In Ivory Towers,’ Centre Gets Rap Over The Crises

The Central government's failure to implement the Delhi High Court's order on immediate supply of full quota of oxygen to Delhi evoked the judges' wrath on May 4. The court, which had ordered that Delhi must be given its full quota of oxygen "by whatever means,” asked the government to explain why a contempt case should not be initiated against it. Over this period, despite the court's repeated urging, the Centre has remained firm on its stance. Centre says that Delhi has been allocated oxygen according to a calculation that applies to all states & it is the Delhi government's mismanagement that has led to the crisis. "You can bury your head in sand like ostrich, we won't... Are you living in an ivory tower?" the judges said. The judges pointed out that the Supreme Court had also ordered the Centre to provide 700 metric tonne of oxygen to Delhi & not just 490 metric tonne. Meanwhile, the death of Covid-19 patients due to non-supply of oxygen to hospitals is a criminal act &nothing less than genocide, the Allahabad High Court said on May 4. Allahabad High Court strongly criticised the Uttar Pradesh government & State authorities after stories of citizens begging for Oxygen with authorities went viral on social media.