HYDERABAD: A division bench of Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the State government to apprise the court on Thursday about steps taken to curb the spread of Coronavirus in Telangana.The bench, further, directed the government to issue advisories to any organisation that has planned to conduct Holi celebrations on a large scale. The government should also consider having isolation wards or dedicated hospitals which would deal with affected patients, it said.
The government has been directed to issue advisories to schools, colleges, old age homes, orphanages, shelter homes and prisons with regard to preventive measures.“Undoubtedly, the occurrence of Coronavirus is a global phenomenon which has spread its wings through different cities of this country as well. Since the virus is a deadly one and can adversely affect a large section of the population, this Court has already requested the government to take concrete steps on a war footing to prevent occurrence, and in case occurrence were to take place, to take all precautionary measures against spread of the virus,” it observed.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice A Abhishek Reddy passed this order on the PIL filed in the form of lunch motion by G Siddha Lakshmi, social worker of the city, seeking direction to the state government and other authorities concerned to prohibit conduct of Holi festival celebrations on March 9 and 10 in order to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
The bench said that the court cannot restrain people from celebrating Holi, but can advise them to refrain from having celebrations on a large scale.
The bench directed the government to concentrate on creation of isolation wards where Coronavirus affected patients can be quarantined. The state should focus on slums where the population is more, the bench noted.
Hygiene at court premises
Meanwhile, High Court registrar general A Venkateswara Reddy has instructed all unit heads in the State not to insist upon presence of accused and to reduce footfalls in the court. Reddy further issued instructions for sanitation in court premises, to provide sanitisers, soaps and masks to staff.
No order on Holi only advice, says HC bench
The HC bench comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice A Abhishek Reddy asked the Telangana govt to consider having isolation wards and dedicated hospitals which can deal with affected patients. It refused to pass any order on restricting people from celebrating Holi but said it could only advise people to refrain from massive gatherings.