Thread by @barandbench

[LIVE THREAD]

A Supreme Court bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, SK Kaul and MR Shah to shortly hear the suo motu case so that proper treatment is meted out to #COVID19 patients and dead bodies are given a dignified treatment.
#SupremeCourt

SG: I want to assist the court. In furtherance of the cognisance, this issue needs examination. I have a copy of the guidelines on dead body management by the Centre.

SC: We are more concerned with living than dead. Look at the condition of hospitals. Bodies are there in the wards. Mumbai is testing 16,0000 to 17,000 whereas in Delhi its falling below 7,000. Media has highlighted this issue.

SG: I saw pictures yersterday which was shocking. Even a right to decent departure is enshrined under Article 21.

J MR Shah: there are states where bodies were found in garbage bins. They are being treated worse than animals !

J Bhushan to Delhi govt: What is happening? Mumbai, Chennai is increasing testing but your testing has gone down from 7,000 to 5,000. This is a horrendous situation. Look at the treatment of patient. Patients are crying and no one is looking after them !

SG: There is a case in Delhi where dead bodies are sleeping with living patients. There are instances where bodies have been dragged with rope?

J MR Shah: So what have you done?

J Bhushan: We issue notice in the Suo Motu writ petition. India TV in its program on June 10 indicates the deplorable condition of medical wards in Delhi. It shows pathetic condition of patients. Dead bodies were not only in the ward but lobby and waiting area.

J Bhushan: It was shown that patients had no oxygen support. No saline drips were shown with the bed. This was the condition of Jaypee hospital which has been turned into a COVID hospital by the govt. This is a 200 bed hospital.

J Bhushan: COVID19 patients are running pillar to post to get admitted where large number of beds in govt hospitals are lying vacant. State is duty bound to provide staff to man these wards. Media reports have shown pathetic condition of patients which has pained this court

J Bhushan: Delhi Govt itself indicates that number of testing COVID19 patients have gone down in June as compared to May. On May 27, it was 6k whereas on June 9, it was around 4k, and on June 11 the total tests in Delhi was 5077 whereas in Mah it was 16,000 and TN was over 17,000

J Bhushan: COVID19 cases are increasing everyday in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmedabad. Increase is now 10,000 perday. Then how can tests go down? Non testing is not the solution. Increase of tests is a duty of the state so that people can know their status.

J Bhushan: whoever requests request cannot be denied the test on technical grounds. Govt may consider simplifying the procedure so that more and more tests are done. Apart from Delhi, there is a grim situation in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

J Bhushan: media has also shown deplorable condition in the manner which dead bodies were handled. SG has shown govt directives issued on March 15 tackles the handling of dead bodies. But no one is following the directives. Relatives are not being informed of the death

J Bhushan: There are instances when the relatives of the deceased are not able to attend their funeral. This is a very sad condition. We issue notice to NCT Delhi & states of Maharashtra, West bengal and Tamil Nadu. We issue separate notice to LNJP hospital.

J Bhushan: Notice to be served upon then chief secretary of the states.

Let the notice be issued today itself and reply be filed under the signature of Chief Secretary of the cocnerned state or secretary of state health department.

Let notice be issued to Union.

Matter to bd listed on June 17.

ASG Sanjay Jain for Delhi: " we accept notice."

"You have to do more than accepting notice," says J. Bhushan

Matter ends.

"Jaypee Hospital" in the live thread was LNJP Hospital, Delhi. Error is regretted.

Supreme Court issues notice in Suo Motu case on COVID-19 treatment and disposal of bodies; takes note of "deplorable" conditions, decreased testing [Read full story] #COVID19 #Covid19testing #hospitals #coronavirus
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