The High Court on Monday asked the Centre and Delhi government to act on black marketing and hoarding of medicines and medical equipment like oxygen concentrators during the pandemic without waiting for court orders.
An HC Bench sought response from the Centre and Delhi government on a plea, which also sought setting up of fast-track courts to deal exclusively with these cases. The plea contended that in absence of a notification declaring medicines and equipment meant for COVID as essential commodities, these are being hoarded and black marketed. The court also directed the government to fix the prices of mortuary services for COVID patients.
It directed the Delhi government to submit a status report with regard to the seizure of black-marketed equipment and medicines and orders passed by the SDMs for release of the same. The court also ordered the city government to respond to another plea against its notification reserving rooms in four hotels linked with two hospitals for the treatment of officials of various public authorities and their families.
The court also directed the Centre, Delhi government to take steps to ensure transparent allocation and distribution of Tocilizumab doses to all States, UTs received by tonight and by May 15 to be immediately administered to paitents in dire need.
