NEWS

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has revealed that the Centre has rejected his government's proposal to import liquid oxygen from Pakistan.

In a press release issued by the Punjab government on Tuesday, the Punjab CM was quoted as saying that "the Government of India had expressed its inability to even allow Punjab's local industry to undertake commercial import of LMO [liquid medical oxygen] from Pakistan through the Wagah-Attari border, which is geographically proximate".

In the release, the CM further said that the Centre had failed to provide an "adequate supply of oxygen from alternate sources".

The Delhi High Court Tuesday directed the Centre to show cause as to why contempt not be initiated against it for failing to comply with order on supply of oxygen to Delhi for treating COVID-19 patients.

"You can put your head in sand like an ostrich, we will not," the high court to the central government.

It added that the Supreme Court has already directed, and now the high court is also saying that the Centre will have to supply 700 MT oxygen daily to Delhi right away by whatever means.

"You are part of the city and seeing the situation yourself. No, you don't know. Are you living in ivory towers," the bench said.

Covid aid has now started coming from Israel with the first consignment of oxygen concentrators flying into Delhi on Wednesday. More such flights will follow throughout this week, carrying emergency medical aid including thousands of group and individual oxygen generators, respirators, medications, and additional medical equipment, the Israeli embassy says, as a “a message of friendship and solidarity with the people of India following the country’s coronavirus crisis.”

Ambassador of Israel to India Ron Malka said: “In this hour of need, our two democracies stand solidly side by side. The State of Israel is happy to lend a helping hand to our friend India in this complicated and difficult time. Our friendship is strong and collaboration during the Covid-19 crisis will only make it stronger. I see great importance in the cooperation with India in this joint fight against the global pandemic.”

Two days after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies returned to power for a second time, speculations continued to do the rounds on Tuesday across Assam on who will be the next chief minister of the state.

There’s no clarity yet on whether incumbent Sarbananda Sonowal will continue to head the government or senior minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who played a crucial role in the party’s poll performance, will be given the post.

“It is clear that either among the two, the incumbent CM or the finance minister (Sarma) would be the next CM. Whoever is given the responsibility will accept it. I appeal to all BJP MLAs and workers to remain calm till a decision is reached,” BJP state chief Ranjeet Kumar Dass told journalists on Tuesday.