[COVID-19] SC Seeks Centre's Response On Plea For Suitable Quarantine Facilities For Frontline Medical Workers [Read Order]

The Supreme Court on Friday sought instructions from the Centre on the issue of access to suitable accomodation & quarantine facilities for medical workers involved in treating COVID19 patients.

A bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao, Sanjay Kishan Kaul & BR Gavai took up the plea pertaining to welfare of medical personnel, especially "doctors, nursing staff, hospital staff, Asha workers, ambulances operators etc." dealing with Coronavirus patients, seeking  easily accessible and separate residential facilities for them.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for the Udaipur-based Doctor Arushi Jain and stated that medical personnel were "Corona Warriors" and must be protected and uplifted at all costs.

Solicotor General Tushar Mehta stated that the petitioner was unaware of the situation PAN India and that all care was being taken to effectuate proper assistance and due care to medical staff by the Government.

"By the April 7 order, state governments have ordered for requisitioning necessary accommodations. We are conscious of this. If there is any aberration, it may be brought to the notice of government. There are large number of hotels including 5-star hotels which have been requisitioned for doctors. The government has left no stone unturned and is trying its best to protect the Corona Warriors" , submitted the SG

The matter will be taken up next week.

The plea inter alia contended,

"...has become imperative for the Petitioner to move the present application seeking directions to be passed by this Hon'ble Court for considering and allowing prayer (b) in the writ petition as sought for by the Writ Petitioner in view of disturbing news articles coming from all across the country regarding the harsh, deplorable and hard living conditions of doctors, nurses and support staff who are in the forefront for treating the patients suffering from Covid-19.

In this backdrop, the petitioner had sought "necessary steps under Section 65 and Section 34 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005" so as to equip frontline medical health personnel with suitable accomodations so that they were  accordingly not constrained to quarantine at their own households and or hostels or any other such sharing accommodations.

Petitioner(s) was also represented by Advocates Arjun Syal, Arnav Vidyarthi &  AoR Mithu Jain.

The Supreme Court on April 8 had issued directions urging the central and state governments to ensure the safety and well-being of of doctors and medical staff, calling them the real warriors and the "first line of defence" in India's fight against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

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