Supplying Oxygen To 800 Hospitals, Only Delhi Complaining: INOX In Court

Oxygen supplier INOX today told Delhi High Court that it is "supplying oxygen to 800 hospitals across the country and only the ones in Delhi" are complaining. This, INOX said, is happening when its supplies for Delhi have been cut down by the Centre and the majority of its production has been allocated to Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

INOX said from 105 metric tonnes, its allocation to Delhi has further been reduced to 80 metric tonnes.

"Moreover we have been asked to transport another 80 MT from Air Liquide, Panipat. From producer to transporter now? Why should we take care of the transportation of the third party?" Counsel of INOX, told the Delhi High Court, which has been looking into the huge oxygen shortage in Delhi as the ferocious second wave of coronavirus sweeps through the country.

INOX said the orders it is receiving from the Delhi government and the Centre are also contradictory, which has left it in a quandary.

"The Delhi government has issued an order to supply 125 MT to hospitals yesterday while the Centre has also issued an order yesterday, revising our allocation to only 80 MT to Delhi. What should we do?" Mr Siddarth Jain, chief of INOX, told the court.

"We are supporting to 800 hospitals across the county. Why only hospitals from Delhi are complaining," he added.

Out of the 490 metric tonne allocation, Delhi is getting only around 300 metric tonne. "Because of this shortage, hospitals are sending us SOS. We haven't slept for the last seven days. Please sort this and let us know how much we need to supply to which hospitals," he added.

The INOX chief also said half his office is down with Covid and they need time to send data.

He also alleged that his trucks are being diverted midway "completely opposite to the plan provided to us".

"Our four tankers with Haryana number plates have been seized by Rajasthan. I'm not able to send those for transporting oxygen from Air Liquide and Linde for Delhi," he added.