The State government has decided to present a fact sheet on the incidence of coronavirus pandemic in the State and the steps initiated by the government to control the spread of the virus.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao instructed the officials concerned to file an affidavit in the High Court, explaining the measures initiated by the government to conduct investigative tests and measures taken to check the spread of the virus. The affidavit should also contain the details about the treatment provided to patients and precautions that had been taken while administering the treatment “with all facts”, the Chief Minister said, adding that the officials should submit all the information that the court had sought about the work being done in the State.
The development came in the light of the High Court expressing dissatisfaction over the State not implementing its orders. The court had summoned the Chief Secretary and Health department officials to appear before it to explain the situation in the State. Officials who attended the meeting lamented that the court expressed its anger in spite of the fact that the government and medical staff were working with commitment in taking measures to contain the virus, conducting the tests and ensuring treatment to affected patients, according to a press release from the Chief Minister’s Office.
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Officials were stated to have lamented over the increasing number of public interest litigations, totalling 87 as of date, being filed in the High Court. Officials concerned and doctors were facing hardship in attending their duties because of the daily hearings that were being conducted by the High Court as they were forced to spend time to run to the court rather than giving treatment to the needy.
“In this hour of crisis, senior officials had to leave their primary duties and are spending time to prepare for the court hearing. They are unable to render 100 per cent justice to their duties,” the officials informed the Chief Minister. This was at a time when the situation in the State was much better as compared to other States, especially the death rate which was much lower.
The government and the medical officers were working to the best of their abilities and the government was prepared to provide treatment to any number of patients. Thousands of tests were being performed on a daily basis, but it was painful that the High Court made such comments in spite of the work that was being done.
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The official release stated that they recalled the petitions that were filed in the past asking that tests be conducted on the dead and the High Court gave orders in their favour. The Supreme Court had however set aside the orders, but PILs were continuing and the High Court was admitting them. With as many as 87 PILs pending, it was causing inconvenience to the Chief Secretary, Health Secretary and other senior officials whenever they were being summoned by the court. “The precious time of the medical officials and other senior officers is being spent on attending the court hearings,” they said.
They expressed concern that some organisations were trying to portray as if nothing was being done by the government based on the remarks by the High Court which was shattering the morale of the personnel engaged in providing relief to the COVID patients putting their lives at stake.