The Allahabad High Court on Thursday issued several guidelines in suo motu petition initiated by it to the State Govt of Uttar Pradesh to minimize the contagion of Corona virus.
A two-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice Hon’ble Govind Mathur, and Hon’ble Siddhartha Varma while hearing a suo motu PIL “Inhuman Condition at Quarantine Centres and for Providing Better Treatment to Corona Positive” observed that “In our last order dated 11.5.2020, we had intended not only to know about the state of the hospitals which were treating Covid-19 patients but we were also keen to know as to what were the facilities in the other Government run hospitals.”
The applicant submits that Sri V.K. Singh had died owing to the negligence of the medical staff. It has also been stated that no attention was being paid to the various complaints of his wife who is presently being treated along with the other members of the family.
The court further observed that the submissions sent through E-mail by advocate Sri Gaur have attached photographs of the ward and the hospitals where Covid-19 patients are being treated. The photographs attached therein are of the S.R.N. Hospital, Prayagraj, then it would not be very difficult to conclude that the state of affairs in the hospital is not very good.
The High Court further observed that “We have no reason to believe that the State of Uttar Pradesh has not taken proper care to prepare a list of all who have arrived from outside. We have also no reason to believe that the State of Uttar Pradesh is not providing proper board and lodging to persons who have come from outside the State of Uttar Pradesh. However, we sincerely believe that whatever work is being done by the State of Uttar Pradesh may be done in a more organized manner.”
Therefore, the High Court requested the State Govt that the following suggestions be incorporated in its guidelines, if they have already not found place in them till date.
I. The Authorities in the State of Uttar Pradesh may form a composite list of such persons who might be entering in the State of Uttar Pradesh after the lockdown was imposed – be they migrant labourers or anyone.
II. After the list is prepared, a responsible officer be appointed over every 400 such persons who might have come into the State of Uttar Pradesh after the lockdown was imposed.
III. All officers who would be appointed to look after the groups of 400 persons under them who had entered in the State of Uttar Pradesh would maintain a list of those 400 individuals and shall:-
(a) Enquire about their well-being through Mobile Numbers which shall be maintained by those officers.
(b) The officers shall on a daily basis enquire about the health’s of the persons entered in their lists.
(c) The officers, if they find that food is not being made available to anyone in the list, shall make proper arrangements to see that food is made available.
III. If by any chance anyone entering though the various Highways on personal vehicles has not been located and his/her name was not in the list and information is provided that such person/ or persons has or have entered in State of U.P. then the name of that person shall also be incorporated in the list of migrants in the State of Uttar Pradesh from the other States.
IV. If any citizen staying in the State of Uttar Pradesh finds that there is anyone who has come from outside the State of Uttar Pradesh and is not being watched by the State of Uttar Pradesh then he may inform the State officials immediately.
V. If any resident of the State of Uttar Pradesh feels that someone unknown to him or her is residing in their neighbor hood then he or she should immediately inform the State authorities. For this purpose the State may publicize Mobile Numbers where information can be sent.
VI. It shall be seen by the State Authorities that every migrant in the State of Uttar Pradesh is properly quarantined for at least 15 days and in the quarantine premises proper sanitization should be there alongwith food and medical facilities.
Now the matter is posted for further hearing on 18.05.2020.
Read the Full Order Here;
HIGH-COURT-OF-ALLAHABAD-JUDGMENT-India Legal Bureau