COVID-19: Jharkhand HC Seeks Detailed Report On Availability Of PPE For Health Workers, Isolation Of Persons Entering The State From Outside [Read Order]
Taking suo moto cognizance of a letter regarding paucity of Personal Protective Equipment, the Jharkhand High Court has sought a detailed report from the state government regarding the steps being taken to ensure availability of medical equipments, PPE, etc. for the frontline health workers. That apart, the High Court has also sought details on the number of people who have entered...
Taking suo moto cognizance of a letter regarding paucity of Personal Protective Equipment, the Jharkhand High Court has sought a detailed report from the state government regarding the steps being taken to ensure availability of medical equipments, PPE, etc. for the frontline health workers.
That apart, the High Court has also sought details on the number of people who have entered the state from outside and the measures taken by the government to identify and quarantine such people.
The order has been passed by a division bench of Chief Justice Dr. Ravi Ranjan and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad, who have asked the State Chief Secretary to respond to the following questions,
"(i) Whether the State Government has any positive figure regarding the number of persons returned or coming from outside to the State of Jharkhand during the period of lockdown or even one week prior to that including foreign nationals and whether they have been screened or are being screened properly?
(ii) How many of them have been quarantined at quarantine centres and how many of them have been quarantined at their respective homes?
(iii) How many doctors and support staffs have been engaged for taking care of quarantined persons in the State of Jharkhand at different quarantine centres of the State of Jharkhand including the homes of quarantined persons?
(iv) How many Personal Protective Equipments have already been supplied and how many are in reserve with as we have been informed by the learned counsel including learned Advocate General and the learned Assistant Solicitor General of India that this Personal Protective Equipment is only a one time use equipment?
(v) How many of the screened persons have been found positive with the Coronavirus? (vi) How many Testing Kits are available with the State Government and how many of them have already been supplied to the various centres of the State?
(vii) How many ventilators are available in the State of Jharkhand and how many would be required to cater the present crisis?
(viii) Whether the quarantine centres including the persons who are quarantined at home, sufficient security measures have been taken by the State so that they do not come in the contact with the persons of the locality?
(ix) Whether sufficient basic amenities, medical equipment, medicines and food etc. are being provided to them?"
The court has however exempted the requirement of filing the response on an affidavit, keeping in mind the present circumstances.
Matter now listed for April 7.
Case Details:
Case Title: Court of its own motion v. State of Jharkhand & Anr.
Case No.: WP (PIL) No. 1301/2020
Quorum: Chief Justice Dr. Ravi Ranjan and Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad
Appearance: Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan and ASGI Rajiv Sinha
Read Order