Bombay HC for 15-day lockdown
Maha extends lockdown-like curbs till May 15
The Bombay High Court on Thursday asked the Maharashtra government to consider imposing complete lockdown in the state for 15 days.
A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G.S. Kulkarni was of the opinion that a complete lockdown like last year was necessary in order to successfully contain the spread of Coronavirus in the state.
The bench also asked Advocate General (AG) Ashutosh Kumbhakoni if the state believed its current restrictions on the movement of citizens were working. The judges also asked him if people with only urgent business were on roads.
The bench clarified that it was not issuing any mandate, however they were of the opinion that the government should consider a lockdown like last year.
The HC also directed the Maharashtra government to ensure municipal authorities conducted an immediate fire audit of all hospitals, nursing homes and Covid care centres across the state.
Referring to Wednesday’s fire in a private hospital in Thane district where four people died, the bench said, “We do not want any more fires in hospitals.”
The bench said a patient does not have time to check if a hospital is firecompliant or not. “We do not want hospitals turning into Jatugrihas,” the HC said, referring to the highly combustible house of lac that Duryodhana had built for the Pandavas in the Mahabharata.
The HC also said it was not trying to pin the blame for the raging pandemic on the state government or municipal corporation, but it was the society’s “collective failure” and that citizens must also act responsibly.
“You want to have everything. You want Kumbh, you want marriages...are you waiting for the third wave?” it asked.
“At least for 15 days if people stay strictly indoors, like last year, we may expect better results. Please advise your government,” the high court told this to the AG.
The HC was hearing a PIL, alleging improper management of Covid treatment in Maharashtra and seeking directions pertaining to shortage of Remdesivir, the key antiviral drug, and oxygen supply.
Advocate General Kumbhakoni on behalf of the state and the senior counsel Anil Sakhre on behalf of BMC told the HC that there was adequate stock of Remdesivir and oxygen for hospitals in Mumbai and a safety audit of medical facilities across the state would be conducted.
The court also directed them to also ensure there are no long queues at Covid vaccination centres and make arrangements for the safety of those working in crematoriums.
Meanwhile, the state government on Thursday evening issued a new order extending Covid restrictions till May 15. People can travel only in emergencies. Shops and markets, except for emergency services, will be allowed to be open for only two hours till 11am every day.
Also, with the rise in cases and deaths showing no signs of decline, the Maharashtra government has extended the lockdown-like curbs in the state till May 15.
State chief secretary Sitaram Kunte on Thursday issued an order, which said, “Maharashtra is continuing to be threatened with the spread of Covid and therefore it is imperative to continue emergency measures to prevent and contain the spread of virus. The government finds it necessary to continue the enforcement of the current restrictions throughout the state till 15th May to break the chain of transmission effectively.”
The strict curbs on movement of people and a host of other activities have been in force in the state since April 14 and were to end on April 30. Essential services have been exempted from the restrictions.
On April 21, the Maharashtra government had imposed more strict restrictions in the state under the ‘Break the Chain’ campaign. Under the curbs, all government offices (centre, state, local administrative), except emergency services related to the coronavirus pandemic, will open with only 15 per cent attendance.