Covid-19: Allahabad HC Asks DGP To Prepare A 'Definite Modus Operandi' To Ensure Social Distancing, 100% People Wear Masks [Read Order]

"We have seen that the police and the Administration have worked together tirelessly but yet they have not been able to achieve the desired results. It may be here mentioned that the time has now come when the Director General of Police of the State of U.P. should take the call and come up with a definite modus operandi by which he proposes to see that 100 per cent people would wear masks and they would also maintain social distancing," the Bench comprising of Justices Siddhartha Varma and Ajit Kumar observed.

This is not the first time, that the Court has taken exception to such state of affairs.

In August this year, the High Court had rapped the UP Government for its failure to implement the social distancing norms in the state.

""Do gaj doori mask pehna zaroori" seems to be an empty shibboleth coined by the Government. Neither the Government is looking interested in implementing the rule that two individuals should remain two yards away and wear masks nor the people of our State are interested in following the above rule," the Division bench had remarked.

The Court was in fact constrained to observe that if people do not follow the instructions being issued by the Government or the Court, then re-imposing a Lockdown shall be the only plausible measure to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Thereafter, the Court strictly observed that "no person should be seen outside his/ her house without a mask on his/her face and he or she should check that the mask covers both the nose and the mouth."

However, the Court was again informed that people were not even maintaining social distancing, inasmuch as buses, tempo and auto-rickshaws were loading people to an extent which defied any kind of distancing among people.

The Court has now asked the authorities to take up this matter "at the highest possible priority."

Other directions

Inter alia, the Court has passed directions for proper fogging and sanitization in the entire State of UP, to address the growing menace of dengue and malaria.

Further, it has asked the DGP to ensure that all the operational restaurants/ eateries, file the undertakings, as sought for on the previous hearing.

Allahabad HC Issues Instructions To Regulate Restaurants/Eateries Amid Pandemic

The Bench also heard the suo moto case against parking problem in Prayagraj and asked the local authorities to offer "free travel on battery operated rickshaws", around the multi-storeyed parkings, so that there is no insistence of customers to park their vehicles in front of the shops.

Matter now listed for hearing on October 21, 2020.

Case Title: In-Re Inhuman Condition At Quarantine Centres…

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