HC raps Centre for 'step child' treatment to Uttarakhand
May 23, 2021
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], May 23 : The Nainital High Court hit out at the central government for treating Uttarakahd like a "step-child" and not providing medical assistance to the state, amid the raging second wave of COVID-19.
The court was hearing Public Interest Litigations (PILs) related to the state's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, when a division bench of Chief Justice RS Chauhan and Justice Alok Verma on Thursday (May 20), said the Centre is yet to respond to the requests for medicines, oxygen and other medical good for the remote areas of the state where medical facilities are scarce.
The state's health secretary on May 10 had written a letter to Prime Minister's Office urging the Centre to provide 1,000 oxygen concentrators and distribution of other essentials required for COVID care especially in remote areas where medical facilities are scarce.
The Court's remark came after the state government informed the court that they have not received any reply yet
State government's spokesman Subodh Uniyal said that every order of the court will be followed and saving the lives of people from Corona is the priority of the state government. "Every effort is being made for saving the lives of people," he said.
Reacting to the High Court's comment, social worker and researcher Anoop Nautiyal said the state government was not heeding the court's orders.
"The High Court has consistently shown a mirror to the government. Unfortunately, the state government is not following the orders of the court. The biggest proof of this is that the High Court had instructed to conduct 50 thousand corona tests every day during Kumbh Mela. They were supposed to conduct 15 lakh tests in 30 days but only 40 thousand tests were performed during Kumbh Mela," he said.
