What measures taken to check coronavirus: HC asks UP govt
Authorities should take appropriate steps in accordance with guidelines as petitioners allege affected persons not getting proper treatment
LUCKNOW:The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Monday asked the state government as to what preventive measures it had taken to check the coronavirus outbreak in Uttar Pradesh.
A division bench of justice Pankaj Kumar Jaiswal and justice Karunesh Singh Pawar sought the state government’s reply on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by two local lawyers SK Ojha and DK Verma.
The petitioners sought directions from the court to the authorities to immediately initiate preventive measures to control the spread of coronavirus at public places and public gatherings, including closure of all schools, colleges and universities of the state forthwith until the situation came under control or became normal.
The high court directed the state counsel to apprise it on Tuesday of the concrete steps which had been taken by the state government for the same.
The high court also directed the state authorities concerned to take appropriate steps according to the guidelines issued by the central and the state government as a preventive measure against coronavirus.
The court passed this order when petitioners said some of the affected persons had been shifted from one hospital to another.
Without any proper medical treatment, the affected persons had been directed to stay at isolated places and their families had to take necessary precautions like using sanitiser and maintaining a distance, without giving proper treatment to them, the petitioners added.
The petitioners also requested the court to ensure strict enforcement of the directives/ guidelines issued by the competent authorities and also to take strict action against those violating the same.
The petitioners also requested the high court to direct the state government to ensure proper supply of medicines, sanitisers and other preventive/ precautionary materials, besides stern action against all those who are found involved in hoarding of the said materials.
They submitted the country was at serious risk as the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) was spreading rapidly.
“It is very strange that at a time when most countries of the world have geared themselves up on a war footing to fight the menace, we are still lagging behind in making our population aware of the fast spreading virus,” the petitioners said.
In such a condition, the state government was required to further galvanise their efforts in order to check the spread of the virus and act as per the advisory issued by World Health Organisation (WHO), they said.
State counsel Anand Singh, along with QH Rizvi, informed the court about the action taken by the Uttar Pradesh government in this regard but the court was not satisfied with the same and directed them to place before it the concrete steps adopted by the government to check the menace, by the next hearing on March 17 (Tuesday).
THE COURT DIRECTED THE STATE COUNSEL TO APPRISE IT ON TUESDAY OF THE CONCRETE STEPS WHICH HAD BEEN TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE SAME.