Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government on Friday informed the Supre Court it may have to continue with the restrictions on the movement at the borders with national capital, since the COVID-19 cases in Delhi are almost “40 times more” than in Noida and Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh).
The court was hearing a case related to travel restrictions imposed between Delhi and UP (Noida, Ghaziabad) since past many weeks which has hampered the travel of scores of office goers and business community.
The court observed, “While there were no issues of travel between Delhi and Haryana, there were some issues with Uttar Pradesh.”
The Yogi Adityanath government’s counsel informed a bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MR Shah there are over 32,000 cases in Delhi, and over 1,000 people have succumbed so far, whereas the death toll in Noida and Ghaziabad is about 40.
The UP government argued the population of Delhi is about four times of Noida and Ghaziabad, and infection rate is 40 times more. Futher, Delhi has allowed “home quarantine” of infected persons.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, said the Home Secretary convened a meeting between chief secretaries of UP, Haryana and Delhi. Haryana and Delhi agreed, and now there is no interstate barrier. Mehta said UP feels only essentials movement can be allowed. The Adityanath government’s counsel insisted keeping in view the coronavirus situation, it would be difficult to resume movement with Delhi.
The SC queried Mehta: “Are you saying UP is insisting on institutional quarantine. If a person is asymptomatic are you still putting them in institutional quarantine? Or do you put them under home quarantine?”
The UP counsel replied the state is following the national guidelines. The top court then asked him to check and inform it on the complete information in two weeks.
Centre’s decision to reopen activities was not hasty: HC
New Delhi: The Delhi HC on Friday said the Centre’s decision of phased reopening of lockdown was not taken in haste and it was done to ensure a proper balance between containing the spread of COVID 19 pandemic and making it certain that people are not forced to starvation.
The HC order came, dismissing with a cost of Rs20,000 a PIL by a law student challenging the May 30 order of the Centre by which lockdown was extended in containment zones and reopening of activities was done in a phased manner outside containment zones. A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad said the government is expected to remain cognisant of the situation and evaluate it closely and if it is found that the rate of infection is going up, they can always review their decision and impose curbs, depending upon the situation.
70% technicians +ve: Faridabad’s ESI lab shut
The pathological test lab of a Faridabad-based ESI Hospital dedicated to the treatment of COVID-19 patients has been closed after around 70% of its technicians were found infected. Faridabad is one of the worst-hit districts, having reported 21 COVID deaths and 1,050 patients till date.
