Hearing on two public interest litigations, the Uttarakhand High Court has directed the health secretary to take necessary action for ensuring basic facilities in quarantine centres and submit the action taken report in the court. The high court also directed the state to increase the Covid-19 testing capacity soon and inform the court about it. In addition to this, the secretaries of district legal service authority in Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar and Dehradun were directed to inspect the quarantine centres in their districts and submit their report in the court within three days.

Hearing on PILs filed by advocate Dushyant Mainali and Haridwar resident Sacchidanand Dabral, the division bench of justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ravindra Maithani ordered arrangement of basic facilities in the quarantine centres. Regarding the court’s earlier order to quarantine people arriving from Red zones in other states to Uttarakhand at the border and testing them for Covid-19, the health secretary informed the court that instead of the state’s borders, centralised quarantine centres are being arranged in the border districts where the migrants will be quarantined. Following approval of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) the number of test kits will also be increased. Presently, 4,000 test kits have been distributed in the state. The court directed the state to increase the testing soon and submit a report about it in the court.

During the hearing, one of petitioners also informed the court about mismanagement at quarantine centres in rural areas. Considering this, the court directed secretaries of district legal service authority (DLSA) in Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Dehradun and Haridwar to inspect quarantine centres in these districts, check the facilities and submit a detailed report within three days. The court also directed the health secretary to take action against a police officer who reportedly manhandled a migrant on the pretext of questioning at a quarantine centre in Pithoragarh, and submit a report in the court within three days. The court expressed dissatisfaction at the lack of basic facilities, sanitation and food in quarantine centres and directed the health secretary to take swift action and submit an action taken report within three days. The secretary was also directed to upgrade facilities in all quarantine centres and submit a written report on this in the court. The division bench further stated that it would pass further orders on the basis of reports on quarantine centres which will be submitted by DLSA secretaries. The matter has been set for hearing next on June 2.