If anyone obstructs oxygen supply, "we will hang that man", the Delhi High Court reportedly said today as it heard a hospital's petition over shortage of oxygen for seriously-ill Covid patients.

The court termed the massive rise in cases as a "Tsunami''.

The Delhi government told the court that the system will "collapse" if the capital doesn't get 480 metric tonnes of oxygen.

The worrying shortage of medical oxygen has been flagged by several hospitals that are overwhelmed by thousands of new daily cases of COVID-19. The issue, which has become contentious in the past few days, has been raised before the High Court by several hospitals, big and small. The oxygen shortage has caused the death of Covid patients in at least one hospital in Delhi in the last 24 hours.

The court told the Delhi government to give it one instance of who was obstructing the oxygen supply and said "we will hang that man", news agency PTI reported.

"We will not spare anyone," the bench added.

The court also asked the state government to inform the centre too about such officials of the local administration so that it could take action against them.

"We are calling it a wave, it is actually a Tsunami," the court said, and asked the centre about the preparedness in terms of infrastructure, hospitals, medical staff, medicines, vaccines and oxygen as on date.

Twenty-five people died last night at the Jaipur Golden Hospital in Delhi due to shortage of medical oxygen, a top official at the hospital said today. The hospital too has approached the Delhi High Court to flag the oxygen crisis.

Delhi's Batra Hospital, which approached the High Court, said it needs 8,000 litres of oxygen, adding that it manage even with 6,000 litres. The hospital said it was given only 500 litres this morning. "We can't manage," the hospital told the court.