Allahabad HC orders week-long lockdown in five Uttar Pradesh cities

The court said that the government was harping on about the economy and noted that bread and butter is no use to a man who needs oxygen and medication

The Allahabad High Court on Monday virtually indicted the Uttar Pradesh government for its alleged failure to provide medical facilities to the Covid-infected patients and going ahead with the panchayat polls and ordered a lockdown in cities, including Lucknow and Varanasi from Monday night to April 26.

A division bench comprising Justice Siddharth Verma and Justice Ajit Kumar passed the order on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The three other towns are Kanpur, Prayagraj and Gorakhpur.

Stating that it was necessary to take some ''harsh steps'' before the pandemic further spiralled to engulf the entire population of these badly-hit districts, the court said that public interest expected judiciary to remain vigilant to all the issues which, if not addressed in time, would result in the failure of the system which was meant to safeguard public interest.

''Those in the helm of affairs of governance are to be blamed for the present chaotic health problems...if people die of pandemic in a large number due to paucity of sufficient medical aid it would be the governments to blame which failed to counter the pandemic even after one long year of experience and learning,'' it said.

Read: Complete lockdown in Delhi from April 19 to April 26

The court said that one would only ''laugh at us that we have enough to spend on elections and very little to spend on public health''.

The court also sought to trash the state government's declaration that a lockdown would have an adverse impact on the economy. ''Economy, economy and economy is the only tune that the government is all the time harping upon, but bread and butter if you take to a person who needs oxygen and medication, it will be of no use to him,'' it said.

''It is a shame that while the government knew of the magnitude of the second wave it never planned things in advance,'' the court added.

The court also expressed its displeasure over the ongoing panchayat polls in the state. ''We must record our displeasure at the way the government and the state Election Commission proceeded to hold election forcing teachers and other government staff to perform duties exposing themselves to the threat of pandemic,'' it said.

The court said that Covid-19 protocols were not followed during the rallies. ''Action is liable to be taken against the organisers...the action taken shall be placed before us on the next date fixed,'' it directed.

The court also said that admission of patients to ICUs were largely being done on the recommendation of VIPs. ''Even supply of life saving antiviral drugs namely Remdesivire is being provided only on the recommendation of VIPs,'' it added.

''If a popular government has its own political compulsions in not checking public movements during this pandemic, we can not remain mere passive spectators,'' the bench observed.

The court said that all establishments be it government or private, except financial institutions and financial departments, medical and health services, industrial and scientific establishments, essential services including municipal functions, and public transport, would remain closed till 26th April. It also banned all religious activities in public.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had earlier ruled out lockdown in the state.