Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 17: In view of the alarming situation of spreading COVID-19, High Court today directed Government to minimize the social interaction and foot fall in the religious places and take appropriate measures by coordinating the administration and security on the issue and report the court within two days about the steps taken.
Hearing the petition to combat the epidemic of Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rajesh Bindal while holding the court through video conferencing observed that the court has no expertize to impose restriction on such gathering as such it is the duty of administration by taking on board the security agencies to take appropriate measures keeping in view alarming situation at present and notify these measures at the earliest.
Court directed that the social interaction and foot fall on religious places like temples, shrines, churches, Gurdwaras and other religious places including Hazratbal Shrine, Jamia Masjid Srinagar, Chatti Padshahi Gurdwara, Ragunath Mandir-Jammu, Kheer Bhawani-Ganderbal, Catholic Church Srinagar, Shahdra Sharief be restricted to avoid spreading of COVID-19 so that the life of people be safeguarded.
Meanwhile, Department of Health has filed its status report indicating the steps taken to overcome the disease. Court directed the Government of Union Territory of Ladakh to ensure representation of counsel and report steps taken so far by the UT administration of Ladakh as there was no presence in the court on behalf of Ladakh UT in the proceedings.
Advocate General has placed before the court the regulation on COVID-19 as also the disaster management has been set up by Jammu administration. Court directed all the Deputy Commissioners to implement these regulations as also set up such kind of managements if they feel appropriate.
Court has given the reference of other UTs and states where in view of present situation assess of public to various religious places has been restricted. Court has directed the Chief Secretary of Ladakh to consider the regulation passed by the J&K UT and after examination take action in terms of these regulations.
Director General Prisons was asked to inform the court as to what steps have been taken in view of present situation with regard to isolation wards and medical facilities in jails in case any prisoner is found suspect of disease. DGP has also been directed to make arrangement of video conferencing for trial of prisoners instead of bringing them to the courts for their trial.
Court during the proceedings of the matter was informed that the local Government has yet to come up with any concrete policy to combat the impeding outbreak of the disease. The hygienic condition of hospitals and primary healthcare centres continue to remain by and large dismal.
The ground of filing of the instant PIL has been taken that the Government is bound to act expeditiously lest to expose the people to the vagaries of a dreaded epidemic and the Article 47 makes improvement of public health a primary duty of the State.
Petitioner apart from seeking taking of effective preventive measures to combat the epidemic of Coronavirus also sought to formulate a policy laying the infrastructure for the comprehensive prevention, control and treatment of the epidemic of Coronavirus and to set up special Fever Hospitals and isolated treatment centers managed by specially trained medical and para-medical staff and setting up special screening system for the detection of suspected or infected persons at airports, bus and railway terminals across the territory.
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