The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Delhi government to issue orders for the release of Remdesivir, used in the treatment of COVID-19, as soon as the medicine is seized by the police from hoarders and black-marketeers.
A Bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli said that the stock that have been seized by the police does not remain unused as case property.
All the medicines or oxygen cylinders, which are seized, can be released and put to use for patients in need, the High Court said.
The court also made it clear that Remdesivir or oxygen cylinders ought not to be seized from patients or their attendants, who may have procured it on the black market, as they may have taken such a step “out of sheer desperation and need”.
The High Court also asked the Centre to expedite the installation of the remaining four Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen generation plants, out of a total eight, in Delhi.
It also directed the Delhi government to request the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the supply of the ‘on-board oxygen generation system’, developed for use on Tejas fighter aircraft, which can be installed in hospitals to produce medical grade oxygen.
The direction came after the Bench was informed that the Uttar Pradesh government had already made such a request for the system, which can produce 1,000 litres of oxygen per minute.
Two judicial officers, Kovai Venugopal and Kamran Khan, have succumbed to COVID-19 and over 60 judges are also infected with the virus.
Taking note of the issue, the Bench asked the Delhi district judges to coordinate with District Magistrates (DMs) to address the medical concerns of judicial officers and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senior advocate Sanjoy Ghose said, “We don’t want our judges to become martyrs to COVID-19”, as he suggested converting dispensaries in residential complexes of judicial officers and even court complexes into COVID care centre for judicial officers and their families.
The High Court also ordered the Delhi government that the Wednesday’s order to take over the supervision of an oxygen refilling plant, Seth Air, which also supplies to neighbouring States, will not adversely affect the oxygen supply to Haryana.
The Haryana government had sought clarification regarding the April 27 order of taking over charge of ‘Seth Air’, which is situated in Palwal and supplies oxygen cylinders in Delhi and Haryana.
“We make it clear that the direction to take over supervision of ‘Seth Air’ plant by officers of Delhi government would not have adversarial effects in the supply of oxygen to Haryana in terms of the allocation. Application is disposed of,” the high court said.
During the hearing, the court also asked the Delhi government to create a portal for people who wish to donate medical equipment from abroad for COVID-19 patients.
