It issued a show cause notice to the Centre over non-compliance of previous orders
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Tuesday directed the Centre to show cause as to why contempt not be initiated against it for failing to comply with order on supply of oxygen to Delhi for treating COVID-19 patients.
“You can put your head in sand like an ostrich, we will not,” the high court to the central government.
It added that the Supreme Court has already directed, and now the high court is also saying that the Centre will have to supply 700 MT oxygen daily to Delhi right away by whatever means.
You can put your head in sand like an ostrich, we will not : HC raps Centre on poor oxygen supply to Delhi
The high court directed two senior central government officers to be present before it on Wednesday to respond to the notice.
Share Via Email
| A+A A- By PTI
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court Tuesday directed the Centre to show cause as to why contempt not be initiated against it for failing to comply with order on supply of oxygen to Delhi for treating COVID-19 patients. You can put your head in sand like an ostrich, we will not, the high court to the central government.
HC asks Centre why it should not face contempt for failing to supply oxygen to Delhi as ordered indiatimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from indiatimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Synopsis
Justice Prathiba M Singh made the Health Ministry and the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) a party in the matter and asked their lawyers to come with instructions on why there was a scarcity of the drug in Delhi.
AFP
During the pre-noon hearing, the central government told the court that the drug can only be administered in a hospital setting and therefore, how were people getting it from pharmacies.
The Delhi High Court Tuesday asked the Centre and AAP government as to why there was Remdesivir drug scarcity in the national capital when the medication was being widely prescribed for COVID-19 patients whose numbers have surged hugely in the past few days. On being told by the Centre that Remdesivir can only be administered at hospitals, the high court observed that when oxygen and beds were not available in hospitals for coronavirus patients, then how will they get the drug.
Delhi High Court. File
The Delhi High Court Tuesday said the AAP government s entire system has failed as black marketing of oxygen cylinders and crucial medicines for treating COVID-19 patients is going on.
A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli observed it was not the time to become vultures.
“Are you aware of black marketing. Is it a good human gesture?”, the bench said to oxygen refillers.
The bench further said this is a mess that the state government has been unable to resolve.
“You have the power, take action against those engaging in black marketing of oxygen cylinders and medicines,” it said.