The Delhi High Court has directed the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JUN) to file a status report on May 12 with regard to a plea filed by students and faculty seeking directions to create a Covid care facility in the campus while stating that right to life and health is under severe jeopardy.
A single-judge bench of Prathiba M. Singh said there is no doubt that there is space in JNU and the SDM and the authorities are ought to be directed to create a Covid care facility in which faculty and students will operate.
The Court has directed the Registrar to immediately respond and file a status report as to what are the steps taken by the administration of JNU in regard of the request made by the petitioner to the SDM/ADM of the concerned area.
The Court has also directed to place a status report that whether such facility can be created within the guidelines applicable to JNU and how doctors and nurses be made available or attached to a hospital.
“The Registrar, JNU should also ascertain as to whether the production of oxygen within the campus is feasible and also if there any modifications required to the proposal. The Registrar and VC should hold a meeting by today itself with 6 representatives of student and faculty. List for tomorrow that is on May 12, 2021,” said the Delhi High Court.
The Delhi High Court was hearing the petition filed by the JNU Teachers Association through Moushami Basu. The petitioners are students and faculty of JNU and want to create a Covid care facility in the campus. The case of the petitioner is that the petitioner at the outbreak of the second wave of the pandemic around the second week of April, the petitioner wrote to the Registrar of JNU highlighting the alarming growth of Covid 19 in the campus seeking the steps to be taken for controlling the situation.
A notification is stated to be issued on April 19 by the deputy registrar of JNU constituting a Covid-19 task force and a Covid-19 response team. Another letter has been sent by the petitioner stating that there is a massive surge within the campus and some urgent steps to be taken. The same is followed by letters on April 19 and April 23 to the ADM, New Delhi seeking intervention. The petitioner after that contacted the SDM for setting up an isolation and quarantine facility. Despite repeated letters to the JNU authorities, the ministry of education, the secretary UGC no action has been taken for setting up the Covid care facility.
The petitioner today submitted before the Court that they themselves has requested the faculty of Center for Social Medicine and Community Health for drawing up plans for Covid care which has submitted proper proposals in this respect. Further, there is also a plan which has been revised by the School of Life Science in JNU campus for production of oxygen within the campus itself. Repeated letters to the SDM and the authorities in JNU has not evoked any response hence the present petition.
On behalf of the petitioner, Abhik Chimni submitted that the administration is in complete silence to the petitioner and they have been forced to approach this court.
On behalf of the respondents, Senior Counsel Monika appeared and admitted that since she is appearing on advance copy, she does not have instructions as to what steps have to be taken within the university dealing with the second wave of Covid. She sought time for the instructions.
Aditya Khanna appeared on behalf of SDM and GNCTD submits that since the entire campus is under the control of authority of JNU, they are unable to do anything however if the university coordinate they will help in making a Covid care facility in the campus which will be attached to some hospital.