Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 21 Jul: As Arunachal continues to record alarming numbers of Covid-19 cases, resulting in 204 deaths till Wednesday, the Gauhati High Court has taken suo moto notice of the Covid situation in the state.
The state’s chief secretary, health commissioner, and director of Health Services have been directed to furnish the status with regard to total Covid positive patients, recovery, death, vaccination status in the state and also the current SOPs being followed, on the next date of listing, which is 23 July.
The three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia said that “We take suo motu notice of the alarming situation of Covid-19 pandemic, which is in its second wave, in the states of Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, where the positivity rate is extremely high. We would, therefore, request learned advocate generals of the three states, to be present on the next date of listing (23 July). The court will require their assistance in getting the true picture in their respective states in the present Covid-19 pandemic and the measures being taken by the respective state governments to handle the crisis.”
Earlier on 10 May, the Gauhati High Court had constituted the full bench considering that there is a daily surge of Covid-19 cases in the states of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. The chief justice had constituted this full bench suo motu, to tackle the plight of litigants caught in this extraordinary (Covid-19 related) situation.
“The second wave of this pandemic, i.e. Covid-19, has been many times more severe and devastating than the first. It has crippled our daily life. Like many other institutions, the judiciary is also battling with this crisis and trying new means and methods to keep the courts functional under these strange and difficult times,” the court had said.
On 15 July, Assam Advocate General D Saikia had apprised the court about the Covid situation prevailing in different districts of Assam.
The advocate general had informed the court that new SOPs are expected in a few days and the matter was adjourned to get a better perspective as to whether any further order needs to be passed in the case of Assam.
Updates on the Covid situation in Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal are awaited.
As of 21 July, Arunachal has 4384 active cases and a positivity rate of 7.9 percent (14 to 20 July) as per the health department.
