Uttaranchal High Court: A Division Bench of Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ravindra Maithani, JJ., addressed petition with regard to issues concerning the condition of Quarantine centers at Village level.
Pursuant to this Court’s Order, District Legal Services Authorities filed their reports with regard to their inspection of the quarantine centers.
Court stated that as certain shortcomings in the reports were pointed, State Government may study the same and come with solutions.
“…quarantine centers which have been established at Village level are the worst of the lot.”
Their condition, as per the reports is pitiable.
No facilities in these centers to provide food to the inmates. Food is being provided by the villagers and the family members of the inmates.
In many of these quarantine centers where the inmates are more than 20 to 30, there are only 1 or 2 toilets. What is most shocking is that the hygienic condition of these toilets is also extremely poor.
Apart from this, many of the toilets which are in urban areas are in bad conditions, as these toilets are not being cleaned regularly.
Court directed the Secretary, Health and the Secretary, Disaster Management, Government of Uttarakhand, to pass appropriate orders to District Magistrates so that their own Order dated 4th May, 2020 be implemented in letter and spirit and so that there are enough of funds with the “Gram Sabhas” to manage and and run these quarantine centers.
Secretary, Health, Government of Uttarakhand and the concerned District Magistrate are directed to remove all the shortcomings in these quarantine centers.
Court also observed,
What is absolutely necessary is to maintain the quarantine centers at village level, for which proper funds be provided to the “Gram Sabhas”, as contained in the Government Order dated 04.05.2020, for which there has to be a proper coordination between District Magistrates and the panchayat level officers and the elected representatives of the people.
Secretary, Health to file a detailed report with regard to rapid testing.
Matter be listed on 17th June, 2020. [Sachdanand Dabral v. UOI, 2020 SCC OnLine Utt 229, 20-05-2020]
