Plea for free testing of Covid-19

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 4/5/2020 12:19:37 AM

NEW DELHI, Apr 4: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Central government on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking directions for providing free of cost COVID-19 testing facility to all citizens at private and government testing labs.
A bench of Justices L Nageshwar Rao and Deepak Gupta, which heard the PIL through video conferencing, issued notices to the Centre and sought its response on the petition filed by advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi who sought free coronavirus testing to all citizens irrespective of their financial status.
"The ultimate aim of testing is to contain the spread of the deadly virus in the society and for this, the government is also taking various appreciate steps including lockdown. If free testing is not conducted, then all government's efforts will be forfeited," Sudhi told the court.
The petition sought directions also to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and others for ramping up the testing facilities of COVID-19 at the earliest, given the escalating mortality and morbidity rate across the country. It also sought directions to proclaim an order for the urgent resumption of duties of all private hospitals including its doctors and paramedical staff in order to effectively fight against the pandemic on the ground that the country's health infrastructure is understaffed and under-resourced.
On another petition on Friday, the Apex Court said the complaints against the sale of surgical/n95 masks, hand sanitizers and liquid soaps above the price fixed by the Central government would be attended with promptitude. The petition was filed by NGO Justice for Rights Foundation which had sought top court’s intervention to curb the sale of masks and sanitisers in black market at inflated rates.
Noting a statement by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that there is a helpline provided at the control rooms working round the clock attending to the complaints by persons who are not able to secure surgical/n95 masks and the hand sanitizers and liquid soaps at the prices fixed by the Government, the Bench of Justices Nageswara and Gupta said: “We hope and trust that the complaints will be addressed promptly.”
Solicitor General Mehta informed the court that steps have been taken by the Centre regarding the availability and distribution of surgical/n95 masks as well as hand sanitizers and liquid soaps at their minimum retail prices fixed by the government.
The top court had on April 1, asked to Centre to respond to a PIL seeking curbs on the sale of sanitizers and masks at inflated prices and making them available at controlled price, including their free distribution.

 

Video

The Gaza Crisis and the Global Fallout... Read More
 

FACEBOOK

 

Daily horoscope

 

Weather