Anyone Blocking Oxygen Supply Will Be Hanged: High Court's Stern Warning

The Delhi High Court on Saturday, after hearing a hospital's petition over shortage of oxygen for seriously ill Covid patients said that if any official at the central, state or local administration blocked the supply of oxygen, "we will not spare them".

Serious action will be taken against those who obstruct oxygen supply, “We will not spare them", the bench added.

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The Delhi government told the court that the system will ‘collapse’ if the capital doesn’t get 480 metric tonnes of oxygen. The worrying shortage of medical oxygen has been flagged by several hospitals that are overwhelmed by thousands of new cases of COVID-19 daily.

In fact, several hospitals have sent oxygen SOS, seeking immediate supply. Earlier in the day, Batra Hospital, which is treating over 300 Covid-19 patients, sent an SOS for an urgent oxygen supply, saying they had only 20 minutes of medical oxygen left. At least 25 people died at Jaipur Golden Hospital in Delhi due to a shortage of oxygen.

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Delhi reported 348 deaths yesterday, the highest in a day so far. The city reported 24,331 new Covid-19 cases.

"There may be a rapid rise of cases in the coming weeks. This is not to create panic, but we have to be ready for the worst. Hospitals say it is an SOS situation," the Delhi High Court observed. The court also asked the state government to inform the centre too about such officials of the local administration so that it could take action against them.