HYDERABAD: While dealing with Covid-19 related PILs, the Telangana High Court directed the state government to file a detailed reply throwing light on the preparedness of the government to tackle the Delta Plus variant of the novel Coronavirus.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy directed the state government to file a detailed cogent and cohesive affidavit explaining its preparedness to tackle the Delta Plus variant which is expected to have more serious effect on people.
Showing concern over the plight of children, who lost their parents due to Covid-19, the court directed the government to appoint one nodal officer for every 10 children to take care of their necessities, more importantly to concentrate on their mental impact. The government submitted that it had identified 170 orphans, who lost their parents due to the pandemic.
Noting the reports that domestic violence has increased during the pandemic period, the court directed the government to assist the women, who are victims of domestic violence. It also asked the government to provide psychiatric assistance to Covid -19 patients, who feel lonely during quarantine.
The bench also asked the director for public health to file a fresh status report giving details of beds allocated to the Niloufer Hospital as there are differences in the information provided on the government website and in the affidavit placed before the court.
N.S. Arjun Kumar, counsel for one of the petitioners in the batch of PILs, brought to the notice of the court that there was no word from the Telangana government about imposing of fine or any stringent action against erring corporate hospitals, who fleeced Coronavirus affected patients. He explained the Kerala government’s notification imposing 10 times fines for charging exorbitant rates to treat Covid patients.
The bench then directed the government to consider adopting the same policy to control private hospitals from collecting excessive fees. Quoting the GO issued on June 22, prescribing the Covid -19 treatment, the bench asked the government to explain actions against the hospitals, if they collected more than the fees mentioned in the GO. It directed that the GO should be displayed at every hospital reception and at the seat of hospital accountant, billing and payments.
PILs were adjourned to July 8.
