Amid a major crisis of medical oxygen in the country, the Supreme Court on Wednesday praised the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for its handling of the COVID-19 situation in Mumbai. This also comes in the wake of the financial capital seeing a downward trend in its daily coronavirus cases. "Bombay Municipal Corporation has done some remarkable work and not disrespecting Delhi but we can maybe see what was done by BMC," Justice Chandrachud said.
He also asked the Centre and the Health Secretary of the Delhi government to draw experience from BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal and create oxygen storage tanks in the national capital. "If the health secretary of Delhi govt and Centre has a meeting with Iqbal Singh Chahal of Mumbai Municipal Corporation and draw experience and tell us how you plan to create storage tanks and install it for Delhi," added Justice Chandrachud.
The top court made the above remarks while staying contempt proceedings initiated by Delhi High Court against Central government officials for non-compliance of the direction to supply 700 MT of medical grade oxygen for COVID-19 patients in the national capital. 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 apex court said it cannot review its order of April 30 and the Centre will have to inch towards the supply of 700 MT of oxygen daily for Delhi and asked the Union government to place before it a plan by Thursday morning as to how it will revamp the supply to 700MT.
The Supreme Court, in nearly two-hour hearing, said that putting officers in jail is not going to bring oxygen to Delhi and questioned the Centre about the supply it has made to the national capital since May 3.
This comes after the Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to the Centre over the hearing on alleged mismanagement of the COVID-19 crisis in the national capital. It also sought personal appearance of its officials for non-compliance with the directions on supply of oxygen to treat COVID-19 patients in the national capital.
