Set up buffer stock of 100MT in Capital: HC

New Delhi: In a move to ensure that hospitals across the Capital get adequate oxygen supply on an emergency basis, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday told the Centre and the Delhi government to set up a buffer stock worth 100MT of liquid oxygen in the city within the next three days and create and allocate infrastructure for the same. The direction was passed by a division bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli who also told the Delhi government to allocate specific areas where such tanks will be installed and create infrastructure for distribution of the liquid oxygen to various hospitals.

During the hearing, Rao argued that Delhi needs to ramp up its oxygen storage capacity. "...what have they done in six months...what are the independent steps that they have taken…" Rao asked.

"The state has to start looking for alternatives if the vendor is not available...god forbid there is a third wave...at least the next we shouldn't be having this conversation," he further submitted.

On the augmentation of oxygen storage, Rao argued, "The state has to examine...and they must tell court if they have applied their minds.

On this, the bench said that the Delhi government should take help from IITs in setting up such storage facilities. "They should take help from IITs...how much capacity they need looking at the numbers...somebody competent has to look into it," the court said. The bench in its order said: "It is for the GNCTD to explore these possibilities and create storage facility...this obligation is cast jointly on Centre and GNCTD even in terms of the SC order". The court further ordered that the Delhi government should consider talking the help of IIT Delhi and Delhi Technological University (DTU) to prepare a blueprint of the supply and distribution infrastructure for Delhi, adding that the estimation has to be prepared on basis of plans formulated by experts in consultation with other wings of the Delhi government and various hospitals.