Expressing dissatisfaction over the Uttar Pradesh government’s efforts in tracking COVID-19 cases, the Allahabad High Court has asked the police administration in four major cities to submit the names of the police personnel they claim to have deployed every 2 km.
“We find that tracking is not being done properly,” the court said.
In cities like Lucknow, Gautambudh Nagar, Ghaziabad and Meerut, the number of infected persons should be coming down and this could happen only if proper tracking takes place, said the court.
In an order dated December 10, a division bench of Justices Siddhartha Varma and Ajit Kumar asked the police administration in Lucknow, Gautambudh Nagar, Ghaziabad and Meerut to name the police personnel deployed.
The administration submitted that two police personnel were deployed at every 2 km of all roads. But the court noted that no names of the police personnel had been provided.
The court said as per the affidavits submitted by the DM Lucknow, it appears that almost 300 odd people were getting infected everyday in Lucknow.
“Though we appreciate the sincere efforts of the police administration, we find a lot more is needed to be done and it cannot be said things are under control.”
Further efforts should be made for restricting the spread of the infection, the judges noted, adding that proper policing is required to see that 100% masking is done.
“The deployment of police personnel is very essential since we have found that policing alone can make people wear masks,” the court said. It noted that only because of proper policing, residents wore masks in Prayagraj and the number of infections has remarkably come down.
The court also expressed concern over the opening of schools and colleges in the State since December 7, saying it was a matter of concern whether the teachers and the students would follow the COVID-19 guidelines.
“There is always a possibility that young children might violate the guidelines.”
It directed the administration of all districts in U.P. that without discriminating between the government and private schools, they shall regularly inspect all schools and ensure that the guidelines around sanitisation and wearing of masks are followed.
