Don’t hoodwink us with wrong COVID claims, Telangana HC warns government

HYDERABAD: The Telangana state government was on Thursday reprimanded by the High Court with regard to its submission that they were doing a better job than all other states on measures to tackle Covid-19 pandemic but it was people who ignored precautions who caused a constant increase in positive cases.

The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy, observed that the so-called “great job” was an eyewash aimed at impressing the court. The vague data did not provide the minimum information sought by the court.

The bench was dealing with a batch of 20 PILs that levelled charges of how the administration had failed to give authentic reports and highlighted its failure to come clear on the action taken against errant hospitals, which fleeced patients.

Reacting to the submissions of the government that it has been conducting nearly 40,000 Covid tests every day, Chief Justice Chauhan said: “Don’t pat yourself. Maharashtra and Kerala have already done one lakh tests per day. It is a horrible job by the state. We have observed that the figure of tests increases a few days before the day these PILs come up for hearing and then there is a downslide.”

Recalling the last five hearings, when the government filed bulky reports and affidavits, just minutes before the hearing, which resulted in the court being unable to read or question them, the court observed, “It was a strategy of the government. There is no mention of a single hospital against whom the government has taken action for charging exorbitantly.”

Pointing out the flaws of the Advocate General and the machinery of the executive wing, the Chief Justice said: “This court cannot go begging behind the Telangana government to divulge its disaster management plan. Rather, this court will draw serious adverse inferences against it for not furnishing the plan to control Covid.”

The High Court asked the government to penalise those who were not following Covid precautions like not wearing masks, ignoring physical distancing and spitting on the roads. The bench observed that it had witnessed that most people at the Mee Seva centres, where they had gathered for flood relief compensation, were violating the protocol.

“No police were there to control them. If this goes on, the situation will worsen with a second wave, which has already hit Delhi and Kerala”.

Dr Srinivasa Rao, Director of Public Health, who appeared before the court, explained that the public was assuming that Covid had come down. They were averse to visiting hospitals, he said.

Justice Vijaysen Reddy said, “In our country, the chances of gatherings and congregations are very high. So, the government should conduct more tests like one lakh per day.”

After two hours of hearing, the court directed the government to increase the tests to 50,000 and that it be increased to one lakh within the week. It said RT-PCR testing kits must be made available at all district headquarters hospitals.

A cogent and concrete report should be filed in the court by November 24 and the PILs will be heard next on November 26.