Rajnath Singh looking into issue of Army's help, High Court told

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh himself is looking into the issue of pressing the service of Army to help set up hospitals with oxygenated and ICU beds to treat COVID-19 patients in the national capital, a law officer on Monday told the Delhi High Court which dubbed the second wave of coronavirus as a "national calamity".

The high court also said a "good case" was made out to seek the Army's help in the national capital which has been grappling with several issues arising out of the spread of coronavirus. A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli during the hearing had asked Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma to seek instructions on the issue of a letter written by Delhi Government to the Defence Minister seeking Army's help to set up Covid hospitals.

Later, the law officer told the bench that an officer was in contact with the Defence Minister and they will let the court and amicus curiae know the details once they receive it.

"The matter is now being looked into by the Defence Minister himself," Sharma said. The high court was deliberating on the communication sent by Delhi government to the Union Defence Minister requesting help of the Army to set up hospitals here with oxygenated and ICU beds to treat COVID-19 patients as well as supply cryogenic tankers for oxygen. The high court directed the Centre to take instructions on the communication saying "there is a good case made out for the Army. It is a national calamity, no doubt about it."

The bench was informed by the Delhi government counsel that the Delhi Deputy Chief Minister has written a letter to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday with its request for Army's help and it will take a day or two to fructify. Senior advocate Rahul Mehra, representing the Delhi government, has urged the Centre that it would be grateful if armed forces could run medical facilities for COVID-19 patients with 10,000 beds and also requested the armed forces to provide cryogenic tankers for oxygen supply to the national capital.