HC issues instructions to Uttarakhand, central govts on coronavirus spread

Uttarakhand High Court on Friday issued a set of instructions to the state and central governments while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in connection with the spread of coronavirus.

The bench of Chief Justice RS Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma, while hearing the Public Interest Litigation filed by Advocate Dushyant Mainali and others stated that the State should increase the number of daily tests because the state government cannot reduce the number of tests as per ICMR instructions.

"The central government is ordered to seriously consider increasing the state's oxygen quota from 183 metric tons to 300 metric tons. The central government should also consider that a large part of Uttarakhand is a mountainous region which will require continuous oxygen supply, hence the demand made by the state government to the centre in which 10,000 oxygen concentrators, 10,000 oxygen cylinders, 30 pressure swing oxygen plants. And there is a demand for 200 CAP and 200 BiPAP machines and one lakh pulse oximeters. The Central Government should take a serious decision on this," the bench instructed.

The bench also directed the Central government to take a decision in one week on the request made by the State Government to the Centre to use its own quota of oxygen from its own production.

"The state government is being ordered to follow the SOP issued for Char Dham seriously and ensure that priests and local devotees can be protected from the corona. The state government should present proof that it is fully in compliance with the recommendations and suggestions given by the High-Level Committee and the state government is ordered to set up a 100-bed Covid Care Center in Bhawali at Bhawali Sanatorium at the earliest," the bench instructed.

It also said that both the state government and the central government are ordered to continuously ensure an uninterrupted supply of Uttarakhand's quota of Remdesivir.

"The Advocate of the Central government is directed to the competent officer of the Ministry of Government of India on the next date, who may be able to take a decision on the request of the government of Uttarakhand or give an explanation as to why the request sent by Uttarakhand should not be considered," it further said.