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

“You can put your head in the sand like an ostrich, we will not,” the high court said. "Are you living in ivory towers?"

A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli also rejected the Centre's submission that Delhi was not entitled to 700 metric tonnes of medical oxygen in light of existing medical infrastructure.

"We see grim reality every day of people not able to secure oxygen or ICU beds in hospitals” which have reduced beds due to gas shortage, it said.

The high court directed two senior central government officers to be present before it on Wednesday to respond to the notice.

It said the Supreme Court's April 30 detailed order shows the direction to the central government to provide 700 MT of oxygen per day to Delhi, not just 490 MT.

On the other side, Air India on Tuesday said it has airlifted over 190 tonnes of medical equipment from various countries, including Germany, the US, the UK, and Singapore, in the last 10 days amid a massive surge in cases.

India's total tally of Covid-19 cases crossed the 2-crore mark on Tuesday, with over 50 lakh infections being added in just 15 days.

The total tally of coronavirus cases in the country has mounted to 2,02,82,833 with 3,57,229 new infections being reported in a day, while the death toll increased to 2,22,408 with 3,449 new fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry