States have to rise above politics & take strict measures to contain COVID-19 surge, says SC

Supreme Court Friday said states have to rise “above politics” and harsh measures were required to be taken to contain surge of COVID-19 as things have gone from “b to worse”.

apex court also said re are policies, guidelines and standard operating procedures (SoP) for COVID-19 manment in country but re is lack of implementation by authorities and concrete steps have been taken to deal with issue.

top court said "this is high time to take strict measures”, orwise Central government’s effort will go in vain.

observations by a bench heed by Justice Ashok Bhushan came after Centre apprised it that ongoing wave of pandemic appears to be “harsher” than earlier. bench, also comprising Justices R S Reddy and M R Shah, was hearing a matter in which it h taken cognisance regarding need for proper treatment of COVID-19 patients and dignified handling of de bodies in hospitals.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told bench that states will have to ensure strict implementation of guidelines and SoPs as “this wave appears to be harsher than earlier ones”.

Taking te of his submissions, bench said,“n harsher steps are needed to be taken. Things are going from b to worse but concrete steps are being taken. States will have to rise above politics. All states will have to rise to occasion.” “Strict measures are required. This is high time to take strict measures,” bench said, ding, “re are policies, guidelines and SoPs but re is strict implementation. re is will to implement all this”.

When Mehta said that states would have to “tighten up” implementation of measures to deal with situation, bench said, “Yes, orwise Central government’s effort will go in vain”.

solicitor general said, “It cant be ‘me’ versus ‘y’. It has to be ‘us’”.

During hearing conducted through video-conferencing, bench observed, “We are watching celebrations and processions being taken out in which 60 per cent people have masks and 30 per cent have ir masks hanging.” Mehta informed bench that 10 states, including Maharashtra, Kerala and Delhi, were currently contributing around 77 per cent of active case lo of COVID-19 in country.

apex court, which posted matter for furr hearing on December 1, also took cognisance of fire incident in ICU of a designated COVID-19 hospital at Rajkot in Gujarat in which five patients have died and came down heavily on states for t taking any concrete action to mitigate problem despite repeated instances.

Terming fire incident at Rajkot as “shocking”, apex court said this is a “very serious thing” and it reflects situation of designated government hospitals as similar instances have taken place in or places also.

It asked Gujarat government to submit a report before it on fire incident by December 1. top court on vember 23 h said that COVID-19 pandemic has “worsened” in Delhi and gone “out of control” in Gujarat and h directed Centre and all states to apprise it of steps taken to contain situation nationwide.

It h expressed concern over spurt in coronavirus cases across country and said that situation is likely to worsen in December and all states have to be rey to "combat" it.

In June 19 order, apex court h directed Centre and states to set up an expert panel for effective monitoring, supervision and guidance of government and COVID dedicated hospitals for providing proper health care to patients.

It h directed Centre to bring uniformity in charges of testing and or facilities and ordered it to constitute an expert committee of senior doctors of Central government hospitals, GNCTD run hospitals, AIIMS and responsible officer from Union health ministry.

(Photo Credit: Twitter/mopr_goi)