The situation has worsened due to Corona infection in the country. The increasing number of Corona patients has served as a drain on all the government’s arrangements. There has been a huge shortage of oxygen and remadecevir. However, the government is making all efforts to smooth the supply of oxygen. The Union Home Ministry has taken a strong stand on complaints of oxygen tankers being intercepted in the states. The central government has directed the states to ensure uninterrupted supply, production and interstate transportation of medical oxygen.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla has issued the above orders under the Stricter Disaster Management Act 2005. The ministry on Thursday directed that no restriction on the movement of medical oxygen between states will be imposed. Not only this, inter-state movement of vehicles carrying oxygen should be allowed. The Ministry has said that on receipt of a complaint of violation of this order, the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police of the concerned district will be accountable. This order has been issued in the wake of reports of medical oxygen supply being interrupted to the states.
Home Secretary Bhalla said that adequate and uninterrupted availability of oxygen is very important for the treatment of Corona patients. In such a situation it is necessary to maintain the supply of oxygen as per the requirement in the states and union territories. In such a situation, the Central Government issues instructions to the States and Union Territory Governments to ensure adherence to the following instructions in their jurisdiction, using the rights enjoyed under the Disaster Management Act. The ministry has also said that there should be no limit on the maximum limit on oxygen producers.
This statement of the Union Home Ministry has come at a time when the Delhi Government has directly held the Central Government responsible for its supply being affected. Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged on Thursday that in such a situation when the Central Government has increased the allocation of oxygen to Delhi, the governments of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are stopping the tankers carrying oxygen. He raised the question as to why the governments of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are behaving like this in the end. It looks like Delhi is at loggerheads with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Thursday that today there is a tragic outbreak for oxygen all around Delhi because Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have created a jungle rage about oxygen. The governments, officials, police there are not letting oxygen out of the oxygen plant there for Delhi. He appealed to the Central Government that the Union Home Ministry should intervene in this matter, otherwise the situation would become very dire. He said that oxygen has been completely depleted in many hospitals in Delhi. Saroj, Rathi, Shanti Mukund, Tirath Ram Hospital, UK Hospital, Jeevan Hospital do not have oxygen.
