Delhi high court lambasts govt approach after rise in Covid-19 cases

Source:-https://www.hindustantimes.com

The Delhi high court on Wednesday lambasted the state government for its alleged lackadaisical approach in handling the Covid-19 cases in the national capital while seeking to know the reason as to why a slew of businesses and activities has been reopened in the city, despite close to 8,000 cases being reported every day.

A bench of justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad questioned the Delhi government’s strategy of unlocking almost everything, including granting permission for 200 people to gather at weddings, allowing public transport to function at full capacity, tehbazaari and gatherings with no social distancing and lack of masks in public places.

“The rates in the city are mind-boggling. The number of deaths is every day in double figures. What’s with the Delhi government allowing all the un-lockdown when the cases are skyrocketing? Why have you opened everything? What are the strategies that you are following?

You (Delhi) have seen the heights which no other state in the country has seen. When the numbers are decreasing in all the states, then why numbers are rising only in your state? Either there is no control or there is lack of control,” the bench said, coming down heavily on the Delhi government, represented by additional standing counsel Satyakam.

The court also noted that even the petitioner, advocate Rakesh Malhotra, had been infected with Covid-19 and had to run from pillar to post to arrange a bed near his house and later “had to settle for a friend’s nursing home in Dwarka after his oxygen level dipped due to the virus.”

“People are running helter-skelter without knowing what to do. There are children, elderly people at everyone’s house and there is no household left in Delhi, which hasn’t been touched by the virus. When other states are locking up, either partial or weekend lockdowns, Delhi government has decided to throw its wings open and has allowed all the gatherings,” the court said.

It also questioned as to who would monitor wedding attendees and how these functions would not act as superspreaders. It is a matter of deep concern, the court said.

“When we speak, we do it for all the citizens of the city. From our personal experiences and those of our colleagues, we are left to wonder whether there is any policy by the Delhi government that is being followed. We do not live in ivory towers and even we receive several requests from the citizens who are struggling. It’s a struggle, a real struggle,” the bench said.

The court also noted that the sero survelliance report suggested that one out of four people in the city is affected with the virus. The Delhi government, in its status report, stated that while there is no or negligible change in the sero survelliance report, the central district of the city has seen a hike in the number of cases.