Allahabad HC says 'ghost of Corona marching on roads of major cities in UP', raps govt and EC

Coming down hard on the Uttar Pradesh government over its 'failure' to take measures to tackle Covid 19 cases, the Allahabad high court has said that the people in the state have been left to fend for themselves and that the situation in major cities has turned 'chaotic'.

The court also rapped the Election Commission (EC) for failing to ensure adherence to the guidelines during the just-concluded panchayat polls in the state.

''The ghost of Corona is marching on the roads and streets of the major cities of the state....those, who are resourceful will survive and the rest as histories of past pandemics tell us, may die for want of proper health care'', the court said while hearing a PIL on Tuesday.

A division bench comprising Justice Siddharth Verma and justice Ajit Kumar said that those in power must shun the attitude ''my way or no way'' and welcome suggestions from all quarters.

The court directed the state government to place before it the demand and availability of beds, ICU beds, the total number of BiPAP machines, ventilators, availability of Remdesivir and statistical details of oxygen supply in the hospitals in the most affected cities, including Lucknow, Noida and Agra.

It also directed the state government to inform about the number of Covid deaths reported between April 19 and May 2, 2021.

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The Court observed that the people had leveled allegations that during the Panchayat elections the Covid guidelines were not followed. ''It appears that neither the police nor, Election Commission did anything to save the people on election duty from getting infected by this deadly virus,'' the bench said.

The court issued notices to UP State Election Commission to explain by the next date fixed as to why it failed in checking non compliance of Covid guidelines during various phases of the panchayat elections held recently and why action may not be taken against it and its officials for the same and to prosecute those responsible for such violations. The matter would be heard on May three.

Incidentally, the same bench had ten days back had lambasted the state government for not planning in advance to tackle the Covid threat and had ordered imposition of lockdown in five cities in the state. UP, however, moved the supreme court, which stayed the HC order.