Deepali Kalia
Uttarakhand High Court heavily reprimanded the Central Government when its representative failed to make an appearance before the court in order to resolve court’s queries with regard to oxygen allocation to the state.
A bench comprising of Chief Justice RS Chauhan and Justice Alok Verma called the Central Government’s attitude with regard to Uttarakhand in terms of allocation of oxygen “step motherly treatment” and “callous”.
“I am surprised at the callous attitude of the central govt. Every request that the State of Uttarakhand is making is falling on deaf ears,” The bench remarked.
When the bench asked the Centre’s Counsel whether as requested by the court in the earlier hearing a Central Officer was present to answer their queries, the Centre’s Counsel responded in the negative and stated that the officer was busy.
“They can’t be so busy as to not attend court,” “Ask the concerned representative of the Central govt dept to explain. I will not take this answer that I am too busy to attend the court,” The bench responded.
The court also expressed their disapproval upon being informed that the oxygen produced in Uttarakhand was being supplied to other states without foremost meeting its own demands and as a result the state was compelled to reply on other states for the oxygen supply in order to meet the shortage.
“Why is it that the govt is not conceding to a reasonable request of the state? Instead of diverting our (Uttarakhand’s) oxygen to Uttar Pradesh? All we are saying, instead of asking us to import oxygen from Jamshedpur and Durgapur, which takes time, costs, why can’t we take from our own backyard,” The court demanded.
“I fail to see why someone in the Central government fails to see the logic. I am surprised to hear that someone has said that he is too busy to appear. If he wants, I will issue summons. This shows the callous attitude of the central govt. What is the chairman sitting for? I am surprised that Mr Kulbe is sitting. Kulbe, he must be from Uttarakhand. I am surprised he is sitting over the interests of his own state,” The court further remarked.