Centre has to supply oxygen to Delhi: SC
SC refuses to interfere with Karnataka HC order directing Centre to supply more O2
In a stern message, the Supreme Court on Friday told the Centre to continue supplying 700 MT oxygen every day to the national capital as per its May 5 order, and to not push it to take coercive actions.
A top court bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justice M.R. Shah took umbrage over the Centre not supplying Delhi with 700 MT oxygen as ordered by it on May 5,
2021, after the Delhi government informed the court that it did not get 700 MT oxygen on Thursday as ordered by it.
Making it clear that they mean “business” and don’t want to be “coercive”, an apparently irked Justice Chandrachud said, “It has to be supplied and we don’t want to be coercive. You proceed and arrange the oxygen.”
Cautioning the Centre that its order to supply 700 MT oxygen has to be complied with, Justice Chandrachud further said, “Don't make us go firm.”
Joining
Chandrachud,
Shah said, “You supply 700 MT every day till we order.”
In another jolt to the Centre, the court refused to interfere with the Karnataka high court order directing the Centre to supply 1,200 MT oxygen to the state.
Describing the high court order as a “well calibrated judicious exercise of power”, the SC said that the high court cannot remain silent when people are dying in the state.
The Karnataka high court had ordered the Centre to increase the daily oxygen allocation to the state to 1,200 MT from
965 MT for treating Covid patients.
In a bid to present a larger picture which needs a pan India approach, solicitor general Tushar Mehta told the court that the entire system would collapse if all high courts start passing orders on oxygen supply in their states.
However, the Supreme Court said that it was not oblivious to the difficulties being faced by the Centre but they (court) also have to think what will happen if the requirement of oxygen in a state is not met.
“The order of the high court is based on the need to maintain at least a minimum requirement as projected by the state government until a decision on the representation is taken and the high court is apprised,” the court added.
Justice Justice have to oxygen further