Fix Formula To Determine Price Of Oxygen Concentrators: High Court Tells Centre

The Delhi high court said it was not asking the government to fix a price in rupee or paisa, but to fix a principle on which oxygen concentrators will be charged.

The Delhi High Court Monday asked the Centre why it can't fix a formula to determine the MRP of oxygen concentrators which are in demand for COVID-19 treatment as people were being charged exorbitantly. The high court said it was not asking the government to fix a price in rupee or paisa, but to fix a principle on which oxygen concentrators will be charged and it should understand if this is not an extra ordinary circumstance where it should intervene, then what will be. Asserting that there has to be a cap on the price of the product, it said, "there has to be some limit to it. It cannot be limitless. Tomorrow some Chinese manufacturer will say he will sell it at 5X rate, it cannot be allowed." "As a government, it is your responsibility that people are actually able to afford the product and not have to pay through their nose. They can't be taken for a ride. Shortage of a product cannot be taken advantage of. Should you not think of the consumer," a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet said.