NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the contempt proceedings started by Delhi high court against Centre for non-compliance of direction on supply of 700 MT of medical grade oxygen for Covid-19 patients in the national capital.
It asked the Union government to apprise it by tomorrow 10.30am, when the court assembles again, as to how it will make the plan to make 700 MT of oxygen available to Delhi.
The stay, however, will not restrain the high court from monitoring the Covid-19 management related issues, a bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah said.
The bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud said that it had ordered supply of 700 MT oxygen to Delhi daily from May 3 as the “pandemic in Delhi is at a very critical stage”.
The top court said it cannot review its order of April 30 and the Centre will have to inch towards supply of 700 MT of oxygen daily for Delhi.
The top court directed that a meeting be held between officials of the Centre and Delhi government by this evening to discuss various aspects of augmenting the oxygen supply to the national capital.
“We are also in Delhi. We are helpless and have been on phone. We can imagine what citizens are going through,” Justice Chandrachud said, adding that his office is hearing cries from people including lawyers seeking help.
Earlier during the hearing the top court said, “Putting officers in jail is not going to bring oxygen to Delhi.”
The apex court asked the Centre about the supply it has made to the national capital since May 3.
“This is not adversarial litigation. Centre, Delhi governments are elected and doing their best to serve Covid-19 patients,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said.
“Tell us how much oxygen you have allocated to Delhi in the last three days,” the bench said.
