Following the Supreme Court panel's report that the Delhi government overstated its demand for medical oxygen during COVID's second wave by four times, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said that it is a 'heinous crime' committed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
"It is unbelievable to see that Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi government politicised oxygen supply when the COVID was at its peak. This is such petty politics. The data presented by Oxygen Audit Committee in the report is shocking," Patra said in a press conference.
"The need for four times more oxygen was made by the Delhi government, due to which the oxygen tankers remained on the road. Had this oxygen been used in other states, many lives could have been saved. This is a heinous crime committed by Arvind Kejriwal Ji," he added.
Patra further said that it is not a small matter and Kejriwal will have to answer to the people.
The Supreme Court's oxygen audit team in its report said, "The Delhi government exaggerated the oxygen requirement for the city by more than four times during the April 25-May 10 period, at the peak of the second COVID wave," and added that the supply of excess oxygen to Delhi could have triggered a crisis in its supply to 12 states with the high caseload.
"There was a gross discrepancy (about four times) in the actual oxygen consumption claimed by the Delhi government (1,140MT) as it was about four times higher than the calculated consumption as per the formula based on bed capacity (289 MT)," the report further stated.
The average consumption of oxygen in Delhi was between 284 to 372 MT, said the report, and added that "the excess supply of oxygen affected other states in need of oxygen".
The panel, led by AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria, included Delhi Government Principal Home Secretary Bhupinder Bhalla, Max Healthcare Director Dr Sandeep Buddhiraja and Union Jal Shakti Ministry Joint Secretary Subodh Yadav.
( With inputs from ANI )
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