'There will be a tragedy': Delhi CM Kejriwal urges PM Modi to take action on oxygen shortage

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the acute medical oxygen shortage in the national capital. Kejriwal urged the Prime Minister to take strict action to curtail the worsening situation otherwise "there'll be a tragedy".

On Friday, PM Modi had held a meeting with the Chief Ministers of 10 states that are worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Delhi CM Kejriwal was also present in the meeting in which the PM took stock of the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the country.

"There's a huge shortage of oxygen in Delhi. Will people of Delhi not get oxygen if there is no oxygen-producing plant here?" Arvind Kejriwal told the Prime Minister during the meeting on Friday.

Kejriwal added, "Please suggest whom should I speak to when a patient at a hospital in Delhi is about to die due to lack of oxygen supply? We can't let people die. I appeal to you to take strict action, else there will be a tragedy in Delhi."

The central government had recently hiked Delhi's oxygen quota from 378 metric tonnes to 480 metric tonnes. However, CM Kejriwal has said on Friday that the national capital only received 380 tonnes of oxygen.

Delhi CM Kejriwal accused other states of blocking medical oxygen supplies to the national capital. Kejriwal urged the Prime Minister to "call the chief ministers of the states where the trucks are being stopped". He pleaded, "Please help us get oxygen supply".

"I am not able to do anything despite being the chief minister. I'm not able to sleep throughout the night. Please pardon me if there's any untoward incident," Delhi CM Kejriwal explained.

Kejriwal further stated that the oxygen supply scheduled to reach Delhi from Odisha and West Bengal should be either airlifted or brought to the national capital through the Oxygen Express.

Kejriwal suggested that the Army should take over the oxygen plants in the country. "The Centre should take overall oxygen plants through Army, every truck should be accompanied by Army escort vehicle," he added.  

Arvind Kejriwal also demanded universal pricing for the COVID-19 vaccines for all states and the central government.

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