Supply 700 MT oxygen to Delhi daily, don't make us to go firm, Supreme Court tells Centre
New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday made clear to the Centre that it will have to keep supplying 700 MT of oxygen to Delhi every day till its order is modified, saying it meant business and non-compliance may force it to go firm .
Two days ago, the top court had stayed the contempt proceedings initiated by Delhi High Court against central government officials for non-compliance of direction to supply 700 MT of oxygen for COVID patients to Delhi, saying putting officers in jail would not bring oxygen and efforts should be made to save lives.
A bench comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah had said however that the Centre will have to ensure supply of 700 MT of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) to the national capital daily.
In the proceedings conducted via video conferencing, the bench on Friday was told by senior advocate Rahul Mehra, appearing for Delhi government that the national capital has received 86 MT today till 9 am and 16 MT is in transit .
"We want 700 MT to be supplied to Delhi on a daily basis. We mean business, Please don't force us to be in a situation where we have to be firm," the bench said, adding it cannot be that the supply is made for a day then so many caveats like containers are not there and there are difficulties in transportation are being put.
Justice Chandrachud, speaking for the bench, said that he has consulted Justice Shah on the issue before the hearing on Friday and the view that Delhi has to be given 700 MT LMO daily was a collective one.
We want 700 (MT of LMO) to be supplied to Delhi and we mean business. It has to be supplied and we do not want to be coercive. Our order will take time to be uploaded by 3 pm but you proceed and arrange oxygen, the bench said.
Earlier, the top court had said that this is an all-India pandemic situation and it will have to find ways to ensure oxygen supply to the national capital.
The top court had said on May 5 that 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 and asked the Union government to place before it a plan as to how it will revamp the supply to 700MT.
On May 6, the Centre apprised the Supreme Court that it had complied with the order and instead of 700 MT LMO, it ensured supply of 730 MT to Delhi.
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Will vacate one of two assembly seats won in 10 days: BJP''s Suvendu
Kolkata (PTI): BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur and secured Nandigram for three times in a row in the recent assembly polls, said on Wednesday that he would vacate one of the two constituencies within 10 days.
Adhikari also asserted that the party's central leadership would decide which constituency he would retain.
"I will vacate one seat within 10 days. The party will decide which one I retain. I will not forget my responsibility towards the people of Bhabanipur and Nandigram," he said.
Adhikari on Monday defeated Banerjee in Bhabanipur by over 15,000 votes, puncturing what was long seen as her safest political refuge and delivering a decisive psychological blow to the TMC, amid a sweeping BJP surge across West Bengal.
Addressing party workers and supporters in Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district, the BJP leader appealed to them not to take out victory processions immediately and instead maintain peace.
"Do not take out victory rallies now. Maintain peace and discipline. Celebrate after May 9, after taking permission," he told party workers.
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Wednesday announced that the oath-taking ceremony of the new government will be held on May 9 at Brigade Parade Ground.
Referring to alleged attacks on BJP workers during the TMC regime, Adhikari said he would not forget the “atrocities" faced by them and assured them of taking appropriate action against perpetrators through legal processes.
"I was part of the 2011 ‘poribartan’ (change), and now I am part of the real change. I offer my gratitude to the people of Nandigram," Adhikari said.
He was referring to the TMC's victory in 2011 when the Mamata Banerjee party dismantled the 34-year Left Front regime in the state.
Adhikari offered prayers at a Hanuman statue in Nandigram and remembered the BJP workers, who had died in political violence.
"We will work in such a way that the BJP government in Bengal stays for 100 years," he said, expressing hope that the BJP’s vote share in the state would rise from the current 46 per cent to 60 per cent in future elections.
The BJP leader also assured residents of Nandigram of improved drinking water supply and better hospital and education infrastructure.
