Don’t be in denial mode, SC tells Noida

New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the UP government to file an affidavit in two weeks, clarifying whether Noida officials were quarantining Covid-19 asymptomatic people.

The court also took a grim view of reports about a pregnant woman’s death due to non-availability of hospital beds.

The Bench, comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, S.K. Kaul and M.R. Shah, was hearing a plea, seeking direction on easing of movement in the national capital region.

When the Bench queried the UP government counsel if borders had been opened, he said they were open for essential services and the National Highways were also open now.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan intervened to say Noida had adopted a different procedure in connection with institutional quarantine and home quarantine. “Don’t put asymptomatic people in hospitals. It will create a problem,” the Bench observed.

Sankaranarayanan argued that practice was causing deaths, and cited the death of a pregnant woman as she could not get a hospital bed. “This was because asymptomatic people were admitted,” he submitted.

On this the Bench said, “Don’t be in a denial mode,” and asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to look into matter.

Earlier, the top court had pulled up the Noida District Magistrate for not following Covid-19 quarantine protocol issued by the Centre.

–IANS/

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