All measures in place, Kerala model not required: Govt to HC

Claiming that the situation in Maharashtra is way different, the state government has refused to implement the model used by Kerala government to contain the virus. The state has filed an affidavit before the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court, saying that it has been following the guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The affidavit comes in response to a petition filed by a Nagpur resident seeking directives to the state government to follow the Kerala model to contain the virus and flatten the curve. A bench of Justice Rohit Deo is likely to take up the matter for hearing on Tuesday.

In its affidavit, the government claimed that it has been scrupulously taking all the requisite measures to put a full stop to the rising number of cases across Maharashtra.

"Soon after the first coronavirus case got detected in the state in March, we undertook a series of measures such as screening of passengers at the international airports in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur. We were swift in tracing all the contacts and high-risk contacts (of Covid-19 patients), in declaring containment zones, setting up isolation centers etc," the affidavit reads.

The govt accordingly, urged the court to dismiss the petition.

"The situation in Maharashtra is different than that in Kerala. We are scrupulously implementing guidelines of the Union government and also the directives of the WHO in order to control the spread of COVID19. Since we are undertaking all measures, the prayer of following Kerala model is unfounded," the affidavit claimed.