Not fair on part of Delhi government to give incorrect facts about Covid hospital: HC

The Delhi High Court Tuesday expressed its displeasure over the Delhi government making an incorrect statement on May 10 that 250 beds in the new dedicated Covid facility in Dwarka -- Indira Gandhi Hospital -- were already operational.

"It was not fair on the part of the Delhi government to give incorrect facts," a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli said and added that "the newspapers of Saturday said 250 beds in the hospital were operationalised, but not a single bed has been occupied till date".

The remarks were made after the Delhi government apologised for making an incorrect statement on May 10 about the Covid facility in the hospital.

The bench was informed by the Delhi government that for want of oxygen cylinders and concentrators the beds have not yet been operationalised.

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Taking note of the submissions, the bench directed the Delhi government officers to be cautious in future with regard to incorrect statements being made before the court.

It said such statements would erode the court's confidence in the officers.

Senior advocate Rahul Mehra, appearing for the Delhi government, said that 150 beds would be operationalised during the day and another 100 would be ready by Wednesday.

The court directed the Delhi government to give category wise -- with oxygen, without oxygen, ICU and non-ICU -- details of the beds at the hospital for Covid-19 patients and listed the matter for hearing on May 18.

During the hearing, a Delhi government official told the court that oxygen cylinders delivered to the hospital could not be used as it did not have a certification from the Petroleum And Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) and hence, the delay in operationalising the beds.