COVID-19: "Constitutional Mandate Of State Is To Protect People": Uttarakhand HC Bats For QR Code On Remdesivir Packets, Plasma Donation

The Bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma observed that in spite of the best efforts of the State, despite its best intention, it was essential that the State must endeavour to save the lives of as many people as possible.

"Therefore, every single town of the State must endeavour to fight against the pandemic and to ameliorate the condition of the public at large," added the Court.

The Bench also asked the State Government to provide the real time-critical information to its citizen and to co-ordinate with other States, such as Telangana and Rajasthan, where the software have already been created for informing the public about the critical information through Real Time Portal.

Further, the Court issued the following directions:

• The District Magistrate, Dehradun directed to immediately inform the public in District-Dehradun with regard to the availability of oxygen with the suppliers available in DistrictDehradun.
• The District Magistrates are directed to conduct fortnightly meetings with the NGOs and Asha Workers working within their jurisdictions, to demarcate the areas for the NGOs, or to demarcate a particular segment of the society, who are looked after by the NGOs. The civil administration should cooperate with the NGOs for catering to the needs of the people.
• The District Magistrates are directed to employ the Asha Workers, who would be in a position to cater to the needs of the people of the demarcated areas.
• It is for the District Magistrates to strategize the means, the ways and the manner, in which the Asha Workers and the NGOs can be employed to fulfil the needs of the people immediately.
• The competent Authority under the Drugs Act is directed to instruct the Drug Inspectors to inspect the Drug Stores functioning within their jurisdictions, and to ensure that there is no shortage, or over-charging of Remdesivir.
• The concerned Drug Inspector should ensure that QR Codes are affixed on each packet (pack) of Remdesivir.
• In case any pharmacist is discovered to be hoarding, or selling Remdesivir over the permissible price, the concerned Drug Inspector shall take action against the concerned pharmacist, but strictly in accordance with the law.
• The Government should endeavour to motivate the people to undertake the plasma donation.
• Since there is a single plasma bank, the Government should also endeavour to convince the Blood Banks to collect plasma in each city/town, and to disburse the same for plasma therapy to the hospitals, which are functioning within each city/town.

The Advocate General for the State was further directed to submit an interim report with regard to the issue, whether the directions, given by this Court by the order, have been implemented, and the extent up to which these directions have been implemented by the State.

With this, the Court posted the matter for further hearing on May 10.

Adv. Abhijay Negi was assisted by Adv Shreyans Ritolia in this matter.

Click here To Download The Order

Read Order