'State Stepping Towards Health Emergency': Gujarat High Court Initiates PIL Over Rapid Surge In COVID Cases

Taking a serious note of the management issues in handling the COVID crisis amid the rise in daily case count, the Gujarat High Court initiated a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on Sunday. After observing the media reports and the statistical data for the state, the court said it became evident that Gujarat was stepping towards a "health emergency of a sort", reported NDTV.

On Sunday, the state recorded 5,469 positive cases, taking the state's cumulative case count to 3,47,495.

Chief Justice Vikram Nath, in an order on Sunday, directed the registry of the High Court to register a new suo motu PIL, under the title "In Re: Uncontrolled upsurge and serious management issues in COVID control".

The Chief Justice said that "news channels are flooded with the harrowing tales, unfortunate and unimaginable difficulties and unmanageable conditions of the infrastructure."

Highlighting the crucial situation, he cited the media reports and established that there exists a "shortfall or deficit of not only testing, beds and ICU, but also the supply of oxygen and basic medicines like Ramdesivir, etc."

The suo motu PIL to be registered is the second of such PIL to be registered by the State High Court, in view of the Covid crisis. The division bench of the High Court comprising of Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Bhargav D Karia will hear the plea on Monday at the former's official residence through virtual mode.

The Chief Justice also directed and informed the registry to make the Gujarat Government, Central Government Parties and its Health Department part of the fresh PIL.