‘Jungle raj in UP, Haryana,’ says Sisodia amid shortages
NEW DELHI: Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday blamed “jungle raj” in the neighbouring states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for severely affecting oxygen supply to Delhi while urging the Centre to deploy paramilitary forces for safe passage of tankers carrying it to the national capital.
The comments came hours after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Delhi government was considering bringing oxygen from states such as Odisha and West Bengal by air to save time.
Addressing a press conference, Sisodia said Delhi on Wednesday did not even get 50% of the old quota of 378MT allocated to the national capital. “Even if we go by the old quota of 378MT which Delhi was allotted by the Centre, we did not receive even that. Of the 378MT, Delhi received only 177MT yesterday [Wednesday]. This is because of...haryana and UP [Uttar Pradesh] officials. The dire situation that Delhi is in today is only because there is absolute jungle raj in UP and Haryana over oxygen,” he said.
“Our officials and even the central government officials have tried to talk to officials in these states, but the ground situation has not changed. Our tankers are still waiting outside the plants. In the plants located in Haryana, only tankers from that state are being allowed,” said Sisodia, who is also the nodal minister for Covid-19 in Delhi.
The Delhi government requested the Centre to intervene and ensure trucks from UP and Haryana reach Delhi without any delay.
“Since the police in these states are being used to stop our trucks, I request the Central government to provide security to the tankers, even if it means deploying paramilitary forces to ensure seamless passage of trucks. Otherwise, the horror that has unfolded over oxygen in Delhi over the past three days will turn more dangerous in the coming days.”
The Centre on Wednesday increased Delhi’s quota of medical oxygen from 378MT to 480MT daily. The quota was increased after the Aam Aadmi Party government sought at least 700MT per day to meet demand in hospitals, which has surged due to the second Covid-19 wave.
The wave has sparked shortages of hospital beds and other crucial supplies such as oxygen and medicines. Oxygen is a critical medical intervention against Covid-19,
which causes respiratory distress in some cases. The pandemic has accelerated the global demand for it. The need for oxygen has increased to 1.1 million cylinders in low to middle-income countries alone, according to the World Health Organisation.
Sisodia said despite the chaos regarding oxygen supply across India, several states were trying to control its supply.
Later, Sisodia also wrote to Union health minister Harsh Vardhan informing him about the situation.
“Police and senior officials of the administration in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are stalling the tankers carrying oxygen, delaying the tankers from reaching Delhi hospitals on time. I urge you ensure that the oxygen allocated for Delhi by the Centre reaches there without any delay to save lives of the patients,” Sisodia said in the letter.
Rejecting the allegations by the Delhi government, Haryana chief minister ML Khattar said, a roster has been prepared for filling of oxygen cylinders and loading in trucks.
“One truck will be loaded for Haryana and one truck each for Delhi and Punjab. The entire process at Panipat plant is being closely monitored by me,” he said..