New Delhi: Delhi government on Tuesday was asked to take over an oxygen refilling plant by the Delhi High Court. The decision was asked to be implemented by immediate effect. The court also added that the situation should be managed well or it will ask the central government to deploy officers to take over.

Systems have collapsed and strict measures need to be taken in order to ensure that basic medical facilities like Oxygen cylinders should be available at minimal cost for the patients, the court added. Delhi has been facing acute shortages of Oxygen cylinders and people have been buying them for way expensive rates due to black marketing and hoarding.  The court also asked to arrest anyone who is hoarding oxygen cylinders and said that they should not be allowed to play with the lives of people.

The court also ridiculed the refilling plant officials for not being present in the court proceedings. The Delhi government hasn't been able to issue proper instructions to the refilling plants, the court stated.

The court then went on to ask the Delhi government to send its officials to these refilling plants to take over and get things under control if needed.

The proceedings were led by a bench of two justices, Rekha Pillai and Vipin Sanghi. The court had to intervene after several hospitals in Delhi filed cases in the High Court against the Delhi government as they were not being able to provide medical support like Oxygen cylinders and Remdesivir.

The Delhi Courts stringent criticism comes after the  significant surge in covid cases in the national capital. People have lost their lives due to lack of oxygen and the government hasn't been able to do anything much regarding the severe situation.

Major hospitals like Maharaja Agrasen Hospital, Venkateshwara Hospital and St. Stephen's Hospital have stated that their reserves of oxygen would last for long and would risk the lives of the patients if they do not get the medical support from the government at the earliest.