Covid-19: HC asks Delhi govt to set up health facility at Eidgah camp

The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the AAP government to set up a health facility at the riot victim relief camp at Eidgah in the northeast district of the national capital to prevent spread of coronavirus there.

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad ordered the Delhi government to ensure that a team of doctors and public health officials visit the camp within 48 hours with sufficient medicines and equipment.

The court also directed that adequate number of sanitation workers with equipment be deputed at the camp for maintaining hygiene in the area and to avoid spread of any infection or contagious disease.

"Needful shall be done forthwith," it said to the Delhi government, represented by its additional standing counsel Anuj Aggarwal.

The court also ordered the authorities to comply in a time-bound manner with the directions issued on March 20 by another bench of the high court with regard to providing fire engine, ambulance, mobile toilets, maintenance of cleanliness and hygiene, providing beds and linen and secure health of riot victims at the camp.

"The primary focus of the Delhi government should be with regard to the health of all those staying in the camp site, particularly in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The sanitation condition of the area would also be of equal significance, for preventing spread of any communicable diseases, more so when we are informed that over 600 persons are residing in the said camp," the bench headed by Justice Kohli said.

The directions by the bench came while disposing of a plea by two residents of the camp who have sought deployment of qualified doctors and public health officials for screening, testing and treating the people residing there in light of the coronavirus pandemic in Delhi.

In their plea, moved through advocate Shoeb Alam, the two residents also sought deployment of sanitation workers there to maintain hygiene and prevent spread of any contagious disease.