Surge In COVID Cases- "Civic Polls, Careless Attitude of People Once Again Spoilt The Show": Gujarat High Court Issues Suggestions To Govt.

This observation of the division bench of Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice J B Pardiwala came in a suo motu PIL on the issues related to coronavirus pandemic.

The Court also directed the government to ensure that people who come to the Government hospitals should not be deprived of the essential medical services on account of the shortage of equipment, medicines, and lack of other infrastructure facilities.

At the outset, the Court perused the reply filed on behalf of the State indicating the various steps taken by the State Government and also took into account the objections raised by the counsel appearing in the instant Public Interest Litigation.

Further, noting the current resurge in Covid-19 cases, the Court remarked,

"Just when things started looking a little better and the conditions in the major cities across the State of Gujarat started improving, the elections of the various civic bodies at different levels and the carefree attitude of the people has once again spoilt the show and has put us back into a situation of concern. Be that as it may, what cannot be cured has to be endured."

However, the Advocate General, Kamal B.Trivedi submitted before the Court that the State machinery has geared up to combat the situation and has started preparing itself on all fronts.

Further, the Court gave few suggestions for the State Government to consider and such suggestions are:-

• Anticipating the worst in the near future, the State Government should be ready with adequate numbers of Covid Designated Hospitals.
• There should be a sufficient number of beds available at all the Covid Designated Hospitals.
• The testing in the major cities be increased.
• The mandate of wearing mask should be strictly implemented and strict vigilance should be deployed at all the major public places and centers of the cities of Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar.
• The people at large should once again be put to caution that their carefree attitude or negligence may force the State Government to once again impose a lock-down.

Significantly, the Court also took into account a 'disturbing' report by 'Ahmedabad Mirror', stating that a number of senior doctors in the State's medical fraternity are of late opting for the VRS, allegedly fed up primarily with a lethargic bureaucracy, mismanagement, and red-tape.

The Court also noted that 'Ahmedabad Mirror' reported that the doctors have claimed that requests made by the medical experts to the bureaucrats in Gandhinagar for essential equipment, medicines, and other supplies are not supplied in time and delayed frustratingly, leading to shortage.

In the aforesaid context, the Court expressed its concern only on one issue, and that is, with regard to the supply of essential equipment, medicines, and other supplies belatedly leading to a shortage.

"There is an acute dearth of expert Cardiologists, Gynecologists, etc. as posts are lying vacant since a long period of time. This is something we need to take cognizance of in public interest, more particularly, in this time of Covid pandemic", remarked the Court.

Further, the Court also said,

"The newspaper reporting reflects on the tardy affairs of the Health Department of the State. We express our concern only keeping in mind the interest of the people hailing from the poor strata of society. If there are no adequate number of doctors, then it is only the people from the poor strata of society who would have to suffer."

Lastly, the Court sought a response in this regard by the next date of hearing and the matter was posted for further hearing on 9^th April 2021.

Case title - Suo Motu v. State Of Gujarat & 2 other(s) [Writ Petition (PIL) NO. 42 of 2020]

Click Here To Download Order

Read Order