Don't think we could say Delhi exaggerated oxygen need 4 times: AIIMS Chief

| Published: Saturday, June 26, 2021, 11:15 [IST]

New Delhi, June 26: An interim report, by the Supreme Court constituted panel last month for the oxygen audit of Delhi, has set off a political battle by questioning the Delhi government's demand for medical oxygen during the peak of the second Covid-19 wave.

However, AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guleria, who led the audit, played down the issue saying that a final report was not out yet.

"Delhi oxygen audit an interim report, don't think we could say 4 times exaggeration. We need to wait and see what the top court says about it," Dr Guleria told NDTV this morning.

A war of words broke out between Delhi's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over an interim report by SC panel, which said that there was "gross discrepancy" in recording the requirement of medical oxygen by 183 of Delhi's hospitals.

Report on oxygen utilisation: What APP and BJP are sparring over Report on oxygen utilisation: What APP and BJP are sparring over

However, questions remained on authenticity of the report whether everyone in the panel had signed off on it.

The report also said that the demand was inflated ore than five times of its actual consumption between April 29 and May 10.

Delhi's deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said that the Supreme Court set up an oxygen audit committee. We spoke to members of the committee. They said that they have not approved or signed any report till now. Then what report is it? Where has it come from? I challenge the BJP to get a report which has been signed and approved by the oxygen audit committee.

The BJP however hit back and said that it is unbelievable to see that Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi government politicised oxygen supply when Covid was at its peak. This is such petty politics. The data presented by Oxygen Audit Committee in the report is shocking."

BJP leader Sambit Patra said that the demand 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.