Some states showed increased oxygen demand in courts during Covid second wave, says Health Minister

The politics around Oxygen started with the second wave of Covid-19 and some states went to courts and showed increased demand for oxygen in their respective state to get favourable orders, said Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya in Lok Sabha on Friday.

"The politics around Oxygen started with the second wave of Covid-19 and some states went to courts and showed increased demand for oxygen in their respective state to get favourable orders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Chief Ministers not to hide any number related to deaths due to Covid-19 or oxygen," he said.

"We had written to all States asking for data on it. 19 States responded, only Punjab reported four 'suspected' deaths due to oxygen shortage," he added.

The minister was replying to the question raised by Congress MP Balubhau Dhanorkar on the deaths due to oxygen shortage during the second wave of Covid-19.

A Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud, also constituted National Task Force (NTF) to assess and recommend the need and distribution of oxygen in the country.

The Winter session which began on November 29 is likely to conclude on December 23. The Central government had during the monsoon session informed the Rajya Sabha that no deaths due to lack of oxygen has been specifically reported by states/Union territories during the second wave of Covid-19.