Centre loses oxygen case to Delhi in SC, ordered to supply 700 MT daily

New Delhi: The Centre has lost a submission made by the Delhi government related to oxygen supply with the Supreme Court ordering the Centre to ensure seamless supply of 700 MT of liquid medical oxygen to the national capital.

A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the submission of the Delhi government on deficient supply of LMO to the national capital and warned that it will pass orders against officials concerned if 700 MT of LMO is not supplied daily.

"You will have to give 700 tonnes to Delhi (700 tonnes dena hi padega)," the Supreme Court said.

"If nothing is to be hidden, let it come before the nation how allocation and distribution are done transparently by the Centre," the top Court said. "The Centre continues to be in contempt for not supplying 700 tonnes of oxygen to Delhi," it said.

Earlier, the top court had stayed the contempt proceedings against the Central government officials initiated by the Delhi High Court over the issue.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday had thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the national capital received 730 metric tonnes of oxygen on May 5.

In a letter, Kejriwal said that it was for the first time the national capital received more than 700 metric tonnes of life-saving gas.

"Delhi has a consumption of 700 metric tonnes of oxygen on a daily basis. We have been urging the Centre on a regular basis to give us 700 metric tonnes. It was for the first time yesterday that Delhi received 730 metric tonnes," he said in the letter in Hindi.

He had requested the prime minister that the national capital should be given this quantity every day.