'Appoint Officers Over Migrants Who Entered The State After Lockdown': Allahabad HC Issues Instructions For Identification Of Potential COVID-19 Carriers [Read Order]

The instructions have been passed in a suo moto PIL registered against reports of unhygienic and inhumane conditions of various Quarantine Centers in the state.

The division bench comprising of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Siddhartha Varma has directed that an officer should be appointed over groups of 400 migrants, to keep a regular check on their health and living conditions.

The court has further asked the government to set up dedicated mobile numbers through which the local residents can inform the State, in case they come across any unidentified resident in their area.

Instructions issued by the court to this effect read as under:

• The Authorities in the State of Uttar Pradesh may form a composite list of such persons who might be entering in the State of Uttar Pradesh after the lockdown was imposed - be they migrant labourers or anyone.
• After the list is prepared, a responsible officer be appointed over every 400 such persons who might have come into the State of Uttar Pradesh after the lockdown was imposed.
• All officers who would be appointed to look after the groups of 400 persons under them who had entered in the State of Uttar Pradesh would maintain a list of those 400 individuals and shall:-

(a) enquire about their well-being through Mobile Numbers which shall be maintained by those officers.

(b) The officers shall on a daily basis enquire about the healths of the persons entered in their lists.

(c) The officers, if they find that food is not being made available to anyone in the list, shall make proper arrangements to see that food is made available.

• If by any chance anyone entering though the various Highways on personal vehicles has not been located and his/her name was not in the list and information is provided that such person/ or persons has or have entered in State of U.P. then the name of that person shall also be incorporated in the list of migrants in the State of Uttar Pradesh from the other States.
• If any citizen staying in the State of Uttar Pradesh finds that there is anyone who has come from outside the State of Uttar Pradesh and is not being watched by the State of Uttar Pradesh then he may inform the State officials immediately.
• If any resident of the State of Uttar Pradesh feels that someone unknown to him or her is residing in their neighbourhood then he or she should immediately inform the State authorities. For this purpose the State may publicize Mobile Numbers where information can be sent.
• It shall be seen by the State Authorities that every migrant in the State of Uttar Pradesh is properly quarantined for at least 15 days and in the quarantine premises proper sanitization should be there alongwith food and medical facilities.

Furthermore, keeping in view the dissatisfactory report on functioning of Government hospitals in the state, the court has directed the Government to provide information with regard to:

• What is the reason that despite various orders and directions of the State Government to keep the Covid-19 virus hospitals clean and sanitized, they are neither cleaned nor sanitized.
• Why state of the art medical facilities are not being made available in the T.B. Supru Hospital, 3 the Colvin Hospital and in the 105 other Samudayik Chikitsalayas at Prayagraj.
• By which date they shall be able to get the state of the art medical facilities in the Colvin/M.L.N. Hospital, T.B. Sapru Hospital/ Beli Hospital and in the other Prathamik and Samudayik Chikitsalaya Kendras.

The Court had last week sought a report on availability of requisite medical equipments and adequate number of health workers in Government hospitals, to deal with the COVID-19 situation.

The suo moto case was registered based on an e-mail sent by a practicing Advocate of the High Court, Gaurav K. Gaur, highlighting the "pathetic conditions" at quarantine centers.

Gaur had informed the court that the one Virendra Singh, an engineer by profession, recently succumbed to the COVID-19 infection. He had informed his wife telephonically that the quarantine centre where he and his other family members were lodged did not maintain adequate hygiene.

The matter is now posted for May 18.

Case Details:

Case Title: In-Re Inhuman Condition At Quarantine Centres And For Providing Better Treatment To Corona Positive Respondent

Case No.: PIL No. 574/2020

Quorum: Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Siddharyh Varma

Appearance: Advocate Gaurav Kumar Gaur (for Petitioner)

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