Uttarakhand HC directs state govt to file compliance report on Covid-19 panel suggestions

The committees have suggested restrictions on political gatherings, rallies, strict monitoring of containment zones, awareness programmes with the help of media, pamphlets, posters, etc

Updated on: Oct 16, 2020, 11:34:18 IST

Hindustan Times, Dehradun | By Neeraj Santoshi

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The Uttarakhand high court on Thursday directed the state government to file a compliance report by October 21 regarding suggestions made by Covid-19 monitoring committees of the state’s four worst-hit districts by the pandemic. The four districts--Dehradun (15,494), Haridwar (10,380), US Nagar (9,095) and Nainital (6,576)--have reported a bulk of 56,000 Covid-19 cases in the state.

The Uttarakhand high court gave the directions in response to a bunch of petitions over the fight against the pandemic. (HT file)

The court gave the directions in response to a bunch of petitions over the fight against the pandemic.

Shiv Bhatt, the lawyer of one of the petitioners, Sachdanand Dabral, said the court gave these directions after he told it that the state government was not implementing the suggestions. The court has appointed the committees.

Also read: India’s Covid-19 tally rises to 7.37 million with 63,371 new cases; recoveries at 6.4 million

“I apprised the court that the suggestions like starting mobile Covid-19 units had not been started in the hilly districts. People in many areas were not following Covid-19 norms and so on. After hearing the matter, the court directed the state government that by the next hearing [in the matter on] October 21, it should file compliance report regarding implementation of the suggestions made by the monitoring committees and in case it is unable to implement the same, it should cite reasons for the same,” said Bhatt.

The court on September 23 directed the state government to appoint monitoring committees for all 13 districts to check the condition of facilities for Covid-19 patients in hospitals, quarantine centres and care centres. It directed that these committees will apprise it about the situation in the state every week and regular hearings on Covid-19 situation will be held every Wednesday.

The committees have suggested restrictions on political gatherings, rallies, strict monitoring of containment zones, awareness programmes with the help of media, pamphlets, posters, etc.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

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