NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday expressed deep disappointment with state governments for failing to take concrete action against the spread of the coronavirus in the country, saying that “the situation in the last three weeks has gone from bad to worse.”
Attorney General Tushar Mehta said the Union government was constantly monitoring the situation and issuing guidelines regularly to deal with the dynamic situation, but the lack of implementation of the guidelines, both precautionary and preventive, at the state level had caused the current situation.
He said that only 10 states accounted for the vast majority of Covid-19 cases in the country. The Union government in its affidavit said: “Ten states contribute almost 77% of the number of active cases of Covid-19 for the country. These are Maharashtra (18.9%), Kerala (14.7%), Delhi (8.5%), West Bengal (5.7%), Karnataka (5.6%), Uttar Pradesh (5.4% ), Rajasthan (5.5%), Chhattisgarh (5.0%)), Haryana (4.7%) and Andhra Pradesh (3.1%) “.
A bench of judges Ashok Bhushan, RS Reddy and MR Shah said: “In the last three weeks, states have not taken concrete action despite the increase in Covid cases. The situation has gone from bad to worse. States must rise above politics and tighten their belts. It’s okay for the Union government to issue guidelines asking people to mask themselves and maintain social distancing. But look at what is happening on the ground. People do not wear masks or use them improperly. … More stringent steps are required to be vigorously implemented to avoid meetings. ”
The Center’s affidavit read: “Given that most countries are seeing a resurgence of Covid cases, given the size and density of our population, the country has done very well to restrict the spread.”
The bank learned suo motu of the fire at the Uday Shivanand Hospital in Rajkot in which five Covid-19 patients died. Judge Shah said hospital fires were a recurring event and that it was strange that no one cared about patient safety. “These incidents continue to be recurring. The states launch an investigation and then the whole episode goes under the rug without any preventive mechanism being put in place. There should be some provision for fire safety in hospitals and staff to constantly monitor the mechanism, “he said. .
Responding to the anguish expressed by the court, especially Judge Shah, the attorney general said that the secretary of the interior of the Union will call a meeting of interested state officials within 24 hours to put in place fire safety mechanisms in hospitals. The bank asked the Center and the states to submit affidavits before Tuesday on this issue.
Attorney General Tushar Mehta said the Union government was constantly monitoring the situation and issuing guidelines regularly to deal with the dynamic situation, but the lack of implementation of the guidelines, both precautionary and preventive, at the state level had caused the current situation.
He said that only 10 states accounted for the vast majority of Covid-19 cases in the country. The Union government in its affidavit said: “Ten states contribute almost 77% of the number of active cases of Covid-19 for the country. These are Maharashtra (18.9%), Kerala (14.7%), Delhi (8.5%), West Bengal (5.7%), Karnataka (5.6%), Uttar Pradesh (5.4% ), Rajasthan (5.5%), Chhattisgarh (5.0%)), Haryana (4.7%) and Andhra Pradesh (3.1%) “.
A bench of judges Ashok Bhushan, RS Reddy and MR Shah said: “In the last three weeks, states have not taken concrete action despite the increase in Covid cases. The situation has gone from bad to worse. States must rise above politics and tighten their belts. It’s okay for the Union government to issue guidelines asking people to mask themselves and maintain social distancing. But look at what is happening on the ground. People do not wear masks or use them improperly. … More stringent steps are required to be vigorously implemented to avoid meetings. ”
The Center’s affidavit read: “Given that most countries are seeing a resurgence of Covid cases, given the size and density of our population, the country has done very well to restrict the spread.”
The bank learned suo motu of the fire at the Uday Shivanand Hospital in Rajkot in which five Covid-19 patients died. Judge Shah said hospital fires were a recurring event and that it was strange that no one cared about patient safety. “These incidents continue to be recurring. The states launch an investigation and then the whole episode goes under the rug without any preventive mechanism being put in place. There should be some provision for fire safety in hospitals and staff to constantly monitor the mechanism, “he said. .
Responding to the anguish expressed by the court, especially Judge Shah, the attorney general said that the secretary of the interior of the Union will call a meeting of interested state officials within 24 hours to put in place fire safety mechanisms in hospitals. The bank asked the Center and the states to submit affidavits before Tuesday on this issue.
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