The Maharashtra government seems to have ‘risen to the occasion’ and has agreed to embark on door-to-door vaccination for the elderly and bedridden, starting from August 1 in Mumbai. The Bombay High Court bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish Kulkarni appreciated the state’s fresh guidelines on door-to-door vaccination and pulled up the Union government for “not rising to the occasion for the citizen”.
The bench was hearing a PIL filed by Advocate Dhruti Kapadia, seeking door-to-door vaccination for elderly and bedridden citizens in the state.
The state, at the last hearing, had been ordered to submit the guidelines on Monday.
Accordingly, Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni submitted the draft guidelines, which Kapadia pointed out, “weren’t useful”.
“It looks more like the Union government’s ‘Near the Home’ policy. I fail to understand how when all states can smoothly conduct this drive, why are we struggling in Maharashtra?” Kapadia argued.
She further suggested that even octogenarians and nonagenarians, who aren’t able to move properly, be included in the drive.
During the hearing, the bench sought to know the response of the citizens to the online registration for the door-to-door inoculation drive.
Senior Counsel Anil Sakhare for the BMC informed that a total of 3,505 persons had registered till Monday.
“By August 1, we will start this drive in Mumbai,” Sakhare said, to which the AG added, “Till the last hearing, we had planned to start this as a pilot project in Pune but now, we have decided to start from Mumbai."
Welcoming the move, Chief Justice Datta pointed out that BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal had been awarded the ‘Mumbai Ratna’ on Monday evening, for his work for the city.
“We will welcome such work that is for the betterment of the people,” the chief justice said.
The bench accordingly adjourned the matter till August 6, with a directive to the authorities to submit a report on any Adverse Effect Following Immunisation (AEFI) cases reported during the drive from August 1 onwards. “We would also want to know how the vaccinators took care of it,” the CJ added.
Kapadia further raised the issue of price of the vaccines, to which Justice Kulkarni, while perusing the policy, pointed out that the drive would be free for all.
“Citizens won’t have to pay for the vaccines, since it is being done by the corporation. Also, the authorities should consider including wheelchair-bound citizens who have already got the first doses,” Justice Kulkarni said.
The bench, in its order, said, “It is unfortunate that the Union government didn’t rise to the occasion; however, the state has arisen, though late.”
The judges further said they wouldn’t be ‘ambitious’ and wouldn’t allow the private hospitals to start door-to-door vaccination of bedridden citizens at this stage. “That could be considered at the next date of hearing,” Chief Justice Datta said while adjourning the case till August 6.
