The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the State Government that those returning to Uttarakhand from Red zone States should be sent to institutional quarantine at the State’s border. They should also be administered Covid-19 test. The court has further stated that among all those who are returning from other states, if anyone displays Covid-19 symptoms they should be sent to institutional quarantine at the state border. Their sample should be tested and they should be allowed to go towards their homes only if the sample turns out negative. During hearing on a PIL on Wednesday, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) informed the state that test kits are being made available to the states.

In another PIL, the state government informed the court that ICUs and ventilators have been made operational in all hospitals authorised for Covid-19 treatment in accordance with earlier orders. Similar facilities will also be made available in other places soon.

The State’s health secretary Nitesh Jha and health director general Dr Amita Upreti were also present during the hearing via video conferencing. The petitions were heard by the divisional bench of justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ravindra Maithani.

It will be recalled that Haridwar resident Sacchidanand Dabral and advocate Dushyant Mainali had filed separate PILs in the high court on aspects related to Covid-19. Mainali had raised the issue of proper protection for medical staff and necessary facilities in hospitals for treatment of Covid-19 positive patients.

Dabral has sought in his PIL that those returning to the state should be tested for Covid-19 at the state border. Necessary assistance and facilities should be provided for them so that the spread of the contagion can be curbed, he had stated in his PIL. The matter has been listed for hearing next on June 2.