HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the State government to file an affidavit detailing the steps taken for the safe return of people stranded at the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border.
The bench, comprising Justices MS Ramachandra Rao and K Lakshman, was hearing a PIL based on a letter addressed to the Chief Justice by advocates SSR Murthy and S Raj Kumar of the city. It heard the case over video-conference.
In their letter, the advocates urged the court to direct the secretary to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and State principal secretary to Medical, Health and Family Welfare to use the resources and facilities available at private hospitals for ensuring the safe return of those stranded at the border or any other person who needed help. They also asked the court to direct the officials to keep such persons under observation and test them for the novel coronavirus.
Since there were adequate private hospitals with sufficient infrastructure and resources to quarantine such persons and test them for the virus, the court has to direct the authorities concerned for taking necessary steps in this regard, the letter read. Replying to a query from the bench, State AG, BS Prasad, submitted that 90,000-odd people, including migrants and students, were given accommodation in 343 shelter homes located along the TS-AP border. Food was also being provided to them.
The government took steps ensuring that nobody was allowed to get out of the State and were put in shelter homes, Prasad said. After hearing the submissions of the AG, the bench directed the principal secretary for Medical and Health to file a detailed affidavit regarding the steps taken in this regard.