"LG Sahib Again Refused Permission": Manish Sisodia On Delhi Oxygen Deaths Panel

A massive row broke out last month after junior Health Minister Bharati Praveen Pawar told the Rajya Sabha "no deaths due to lack of oxygen were reported" during the second COVID-19 wave

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has rejected a proposal by the Arvind Kejriwal government to set up a committee to establish the number of people who died during the second Covid wave due to a lack of medical oxygen, and award Rs 5 lakh monetary compensation to their families. This is the second time Mr Baijal has dismissed a proposal of this nature; in June he refused the Delhi government permission to investigate nearly 40 deaths reported from two city hospitals. "We sent the file to LG sahib... but he has again refused permission for an inquiry into deaths because of a lack of oxygen," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said Friday evening, adding that the Lieutenant Governor had said "there is no need to form any committee". "The centre is saying states should report how many deaths occurred due to lack of oxygen... but the LG is not allowing an investigation. How will we be able to say how many died..." he said.