Uttarakhand High Court directs state govt to provide funds for quarantine centres

The court also directed the secretary health of the state to file the report in the court after taking measures to improvise living conditions in quarantine centres across the hill state. 
Uttarakhand High Court (File Photo| PTI)
Uttarakhand High Court (File Photo| PTI)

DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand High Court on Tuesday, hearing petitions regarding lack of suitable arrangements in quarantine centres of the state, directed the state government to provide funds to the village heads so that they can make arrangments in these centres.

Dushyant Mainali, a lawyer associated with the case said, "The honourable court took strong cognizance of the disorderly cleanliness of the quarantine centres in rural areas and the lack of food system. The court strongly reprimanded the government over the quarantine centres in rural areas and asked for immediate correction of the situation and file a report with 14 days of the time period."

The matter was heard by the bench of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Ravindra Maithani.

The HC taking cognizance of the inspection report of quarantine centres by the Uttarakhand Legal Services Authority, also added that state government through all 13 district magistrate should ensure the implementation of better facilities in the quarantine including food, water, sanitation, hygiene and security.

The court also directed the secretary health of the state to file the report in the court after taking measures to improvise living conditions in quarantine centres across the hill state. 

Visibly angry on the condition of the centres, the HC directed the state government to create a mechanism through the district magistrates for arranging the distribution of funds for suitable arrangements in these centres in the gram sabhas. 

The state government told the court that in compliance of the court orders, 11000 rapid test kits have been distributed, out of which 2100 test kits have been tested and the remaining sample kits are yet to be reported.

The court asked the state government to file a written report about the progress of sampling and distribution of test kits.

The next hearing of the case, along with all the reports, will be held after 2 weeks while the state government will file a report of compliance with the court orders in the court.

Last week, the HC had directed the Uttarakhand Legal Services Authority to inspect quarantine centres in four districts- Dehradun, Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar and submit inspection report within three days. 

The court had also directed the state health secretary to submit action take report about what steps are being taken to improve quarantine centres of the state. 
 

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