COVID-19: PM & HM directly involved in augmenting O2 supply; Centre's affidavit accessed

On Tuesday, Republic TV accessed the Centre's affidavit filed in the Supreme Court in the suo moto plea on issues related to the COVID-19 situation in India. An SC bench led by the then CJI SA Bobde issued notices to the Centre, states and parties who have approached the HCs to show cause why the apex court cannot pass uniform orders on supply of oxygen, essential drugs, method and manner of vaccination and declaration of lockdown. As per the affidavit filed by MHA Additional Secretary Govind Mohan, PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are directly involved in augmenting oxygen supply on a war footing. 

It stated that more medical oxygen is being made available every day keeping in mind potential future requirements as well. Moreover, it stressed that the political executive has personally intervened to boost the O2 production via all available sources within India and importing oxygen from abroad. The affidavit listed other steps in this regard such as issuing licenses to industrial gas manufacturers to produce oxygen, enhanced production in steel plants, restrictions on industrial use of oxygen, augmentation in the availability of tankers, commissioning of Pressure Swing Adsorption plants, augmentation of availability of cylinders and transportation of O2 by Rail and Air.

Details of the affidavit

To begin with, the affidavit traced the response of the Centre since the advent of the COVID-19 crisis including the formation of a high-level Group of Ministers, Empowered Groups, imposition of the nationwide lockdown and so forth. During the first wave, PM Modi and the Prime Minister's Office reviewed the COVID-19 situation in 48 meetings from January-December 2020. Moreover, a total of 126 guidelines/advisories/SOPs in connection with containment plans. surveillance, testing, etc. were issued to states between January-August 2020. 

Mentioning that 34,228 ventilators were provided by the Centre to states in 2020, it added that the exercise of providing ventilators to states has continued as an ongoing process. Thereafter, it weighed in on the augmentation of health and testing infrastructure and empowering states with funds. Moving on to the specific steps taken prior to the second wave of the pandemic, it revealed that PM Modi and the PMO held meetings on January 9, January 11, March 17, April 4, April 8, April 13, April 17, April 19 and April 23 to prepare a response to the second wave.

It noted, "Further, utilizing the infrastructure available with Central Ministries and in coordination with States, isolation beds (with/without oxygen) were increased to around 15.7 lakhs as compared to 10,180 before lockdown; ICU beds were increased to more than 85,000 as compared to just 2,168 before lockdown specifically for management of COVID-19 cases". According to the Centre, an order dated April 15 laid down a framework to meet the supply of medical oxygen as per the projected demand of the states on April 20 (4880 MT), April 25 (5619 MT) and April 30 (6593 MT). However, states such as Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan revised their estimates by 100%, 133% and 18% following a surge in COVID-19 cases.

In a veiled reference to the oxygen shortage witnessed in some parts of India such as Delhi, the affidavit stressed that the medical O2 in any country cannot be "unlimited". It submitted that the sheer magnitude of this unprecedented surge itself brings with it certain "inbuilt limitations" in terms of available resources which need to be professionally augmented and utilised. Additionally, it assured that the production of Remdesivir is being ramped up. The affidavit explained the vaccination policy in detail. As far as the national plan is concerned, the Union government pointed out that a National Disaster Management Plan is already in place at the national level. Opining that the said plan is dynamic in nature, the Centre emphasised that it cannot contain the microscopic details as to the day-to-day management of the issues arising out of the pandemic.