Uttarakhand HC questions Centre's step-child treatment in providing COVID facilities

The Uttarakhand High Court questioned the step-child treatment by the Centre in providing COVID medical facilities to the state despite several requests for medical aid to the remote areas where such facilities are scarce amid the rise of infection rate.

The High Court was hearing a batch of PILs pertaining to COVID handling of the state.

The division bench comprising Chief Justice RS Chauhan and Justice Alok Verma criticised what it called a "step-child" like treatment of the state when it came to COVID-19 resources. A letter had been sent to the Prime Minister's Office on May 10 regarding the same but no answer was received, the court said.

Showing its displeasure at the situation, the court said, "Why do we keep causing embarrassment to ourselves. You may fool the court, but you cannot fool the people. The reality exists out there. You are playing with the lives of millions of people in the country."

In addition to these observations, the bench also requested the state's Health Secretary to urge the Centre to provide 1,000 oxygen concentrators and distribution of other essentials required for Covid care especially in remote areas where medical facilities are scarce.

The court asked as to why the oxygen quota of Uttarakhand is not being increased to 300 tonnes, given its terrain and need for oxygen. It asked the Central Government's lawyer as to why Uttarakhand was being neglected in such a manner.

The court further asked about crowd control measures being taken at Chardham temples which opened recently for regular prayers.