The Supreme Court Monday asked the Centre to submit within two weeks the action taken report (ATR) on implementing the suggestions of the court-appointed National Task Force (NTF) on allocation of oxygen to states and Union Territories amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
The top court said that since the NTF consists of senior doctors and experts from all over the country, it is imperative for the Centre to take steps to ensure that its recommendations are duly implemented at the policy level to meet any exigencies in present and foreseeable future.
A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah posted the matter for further hearing after two weeks and listed it along with the suo motu matter on COVID preparedness.
The top court noted that the final NTF report has been submitted and an interim report of the sub-committee on evaluation of oxygen requirement of national capital has been filed.
The top court was hearing a plea filed by the Centre against the Delhi High Court order initiating contempt proceedings against the
Central Government officials for non-compliance of the direction to supply 700 MT of medical grade oxygen for COVID-19 patients in the national capital.
At the outset, advocate Rajat Nair, appearing on behalf of the office of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, said that a letter has been circulated last evening and they need some time to file ATR on the recommendations of the NTF.
The bench told Nair that it wants to know how the government is implementing NTF’s recommendations.
Senior advocate Jaideep Gupta, who has been appointed amicus curiae in the matter, said that the sub-committee on evaluation of oxygen allocation to Delhi has submitted its interim report and the court should not waste its time looking into it.