New Delhi: Delhi high court asked all big hospitals in the national capital, having 100 or more beds, to install Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) oxygen plants. The bitter experience due to the acute shortage of medical oxygen for treating COVID-19, it said, has left a lesson to be learnt.The high court said it is high time that big hospitals with 100-bedded facilities or more should have their own PSA oxygen plants, with a capacity of at least double their normal requirement. This would go a long way in reducing dependence on outside sources.A bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh also asked the Delhi government’s principal secretary (health) to take up the topic of PSA oxygen plants with hospitals, and file a status report by May 27.The bench said that considering that the pandemic is once in a century and will hopefully meet its end sooner or later, it is of the view that larger hospitals with 100-bedded facilities or more should have their own PSA plants which should have a capacity of at least two times of their normal requirement.It also said that smaller hospitals and nursing homes with 50-100 beds should have PSA plants with a capacity of their normal requirement. It would help a long way if such a situation were to arise again in future, the bench said.Delhi’s bitter experience with huge shortage of medical oxygen has certainly left a lesson to be learnt, particularly by hospitals, the bench observed.The court noted an earlier submission made by a doctor of Max Hospital, that they would be willing to set up PSA plants in their open parking space. However, the hospital should be allowed to construct multi-level parking at their own cost.The court said since installation of the plants will need some space, it would be appropriate for the municipal corporations and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to bring about some relaxations in building by-laws with regard to coverage area, so that PSA plants can be installed in open parking spaces of the hospitals.Also read: COVID Variant Row: Singapore Threatens to Invoke Fake News Act Against KejriwalIt asked the MCDs and DDA to address these issues for which the amicus curiae will convene a meeting with the two authorities as well as representatives of the hospitals and nursing homes within one week.The court said these directions should be complied with by all hospitals in the national capital, which come under the Delhi government, Central government, municipal corporations and others. The directions should also be followed by new hospitals also.The court also perused the status reports filed by the Delhi government and Centre stating that some PSA plants are installed in their hospitals and some are in the process of being installed.The Centre’s counsel told the court that some plants which are to be installed have not been received, as they form part of the aid received from several countries.The court said that the position so far is that most of the plants are yet to be installed and made operational. It added that the installation of those being manufactured in India should be prioritized, for their need could arise in case of another wave.It also said that the Centre and Delhi government shall designate nodal officers, sufficiently senior, to monitor the aspect of supply and installation of PSA plants in the hospitals, if not done already.Regarding augmentation of cryogenic tankers to carry medical oxygen for the national capital, which should include the projected increase in demand as shown earlier, the high court asked the Central and Delhi government to file their respective status reports.(PTI)