Workers prepare beds at a Covid care centre in a schools hall, amid surge in coronavirus cases in New Delhi.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday sent an SOS message to the Centre to provide oxygen to city hospitals, saying some of them were left with just a few hours of supply.
"Serious oxygen crisis persists in Delhi. I again urge centre to urgently provide oxygen to Delhi. Some hospitals are left with just a few hours of oxygen," Kejriwal tweeted. "I urge central govt with folded hands to urgently provide oxygen to Delhi," he added.
Meanwhile, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the Centre should be "sensitive and active" in handling the situation so that there is no clamour among states over its supply.
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Sisodia, who is also the nodal minister for COVID-19 management in the national capital, said he is getting SOS calls on oxygen shortage from all hospitals. He also alleged that people involved in supplying oxygen are being stopped in different states.
"Getting SOS calls on shortage of oxygen from all hospitals. People involved in supplying oxygen are being stopped at different states. To ensure that there no 'jungle raj' among states over supply of oxygen, the Central government should be very sensitive and active to handle the situation," he tweeted in Hindi.
The Delhi government had on Monday set up a 24-member committee to ensure "rational" use of oxygen for treatment of COVID-19 patients.
An order issued by the Health Department said the 'Oxygen Audit Committee' will identify areas of wasteful consumption.
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The consumption of oxygen has undergone a quantum increase with the admission of a large number of serious patients who require oxygen support, it said.
Earlier in the day, the Centre told the Delhi High Court that there is no gap in oxygen supply to national capital at present and its use has been banned for industrial purposes except for certain industries.
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The Ministry of Health told the high court that there has been an inordinate increase of 133 per cent in the projected medical oxygen required, as on April 20, between the initial estimate of 300 metric tonnes and revised estimate of 700 metric tonnes submitted by Delhi.
The Centre also informed the high court that it has provided Delhi government hospitals with around 1,390 ventilators.
