[BREAKING] Death of COVID patients due to Oxygen shortage nothing less than genocide: Allahabad High Court orders inquiry [READ ORDER]

Death of Covid-19 patients due to non supply of oxygen to hospitals is a criminal act and nothing less than genocide, the Allahabad High Court said on Tuesday strongly berating the Uttar Pradesh government and State authorities after stories of citizens begging for Oxygen with authorities went viral on social media. .A Bench of Justices Ajit Kumar and Siddhartha Varma, therefore, proceeded to order an inquiry into incidents of death reported from Meerut and Lucknow hospitals based on the social media reports. .The Court observed that the stories which went viral on social media showed poor citizens begging for oxygen cylinders to save the lives of their near and dear ones and harassment meted out to them by district administration and police administration. "The news was also viralled that five patients had died in ICU of a new trauma centre of Medical College, Meerut on Sunday last. Similarly, news were also being viralled that one Sun Hospital, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow and another private hospital at Meerut had taken their hands off the admitted Covid patients only for the reason that oxygen supply was not made even after demand," the Court observed. These videos, it said, showed quite a contrary picture to one claimed by the Government that there was sufficient supply of oxygen.."We are at pain in observing that death of Covid patients just for non supplying of oxygen to the hospitals is a criminal act and not less than a genocide by those who have been entrusted the task to ensure continuous procurement and supply chain of the liquid medical oxygen," the Court said. How can we let our people die in this way when science is so advanced that even heart transplantation and brain surgery are taking place these days, it added. .“We find these news items showing a quite contrary picture to one claimed by the Government that there was sufficient supply of oxygen. ”Allahabad High Court.The Court went on to state that normally it would not have asked State or district administration to enquire into such news which are circulated on social media. But in this case, the lawyers appearing in the matter supported such news and even submitted that the situation in all districts in the State was more or less similar, the Court noted. It, therefore, directed the government to take immediate remedial measures and also ordered for inquiry into the incidents at Meerut and Lucknow. "We find it necessary to direct for immediate remedial measures to be taken by the Government. The District Magistrate, Lucknow and District Magistrate, Meerut are directed to enquire into the matter of such news items within 48 hours and submit their reports on the next date fixed respectively," the Court ordered. They were also directed to appear before the Court online on the next date fixed, it further directed. .The Court was hearing a suo motu case initiated by it last month in relation to the COVID-19 crisis in the State. The Court had passed various orders during the previous hearings as well. .On Tuesday, advocate Anuj Singh submitted that though the government has created a portal to show availability of Level-2 and Level-3 beds in Covid wards and ICUs in various hospitals, both private and government, but the data fed for display in the portal was not correct. Taking note of his submission the court asked him to dial the number during the hearing and it was found that data submitted by the government was incorrect. "During the course of hearing, Advocate Anuj Singh was asked to dial the number of Hari Prasad Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, to know exactly as to whether the data was correct or not and as to whether the reply as was received earlier by Sri Anuj Singh remained same, Sri Anuj Singh, dialed the number again and again and the line was showing busy, however, ultimately he had been able to connect and reply was that there was no Level-2 & Level-3 bed available, whereas on the online portal, during the course of hearing of the case, was showing that there were vacant positions of beds in both Level-2 and Level-3 category," the order noted. .The Court also took note of the suggestions raised by the members of the Bar and directed Additional Advocate General, Manish Goyal, to study the feasibility of setting up a vaccination centre specifically for lawyers of the Bar Association and employees of the High Court at Allahabad and Lucknow Bench. "The endeavour should be to vaccinate maximum number of lawyers as early as possible and the employees of the High Court both at Allahabad and its Lucknow Bench.".The Court on Tuesday also took a dim view of the response submitted by the State Election Commission (EC) after the Court had, on previous occasion, asked for explanation from the EC on the death of the polling agents and officers due to the COVID-19 during the course of Panchayat elections in the State."We find that except seeking a verification from the District Magistrates/ District Election Officers of all the districts vide letter dated 28th April, 2021, nothing more has been done. We make it clear that any slackness on the part of the Election Commission on this issue will not be tolerated," the Court said. .The Court also noted that even during the counting of votes of Panchayat elections, Covid protocol and guidelines were flouted."People gathered in huge numbers at the counting centres and both the Election Officers and Police administration had completely failed to ensure the compliance of Covid guidelines," the order said. The Court went on to note that the Election Commission in a case before the Supreme Court had given an undertaking on April 7, that counting will be supervised through CCTV cameras to be installed at the designated counting centres and those who were in charge of the counting centres would be held responsible for any lapse regarding compliance of Covid-19 guidelines..[Breaking] Ghost of Corona marching in Uttar Pradesh cities; government became complacent by end of 2020: Allahabad High Court.Last week the Supreme Court had also given permission to hold the Uttar Pradesh Panchayat Elections and allowed the State government to continue with the counting process. While disposing of the matter, the apex court had said that the parties would be at liberty to approach the Allahabad High Court in case of issues which may arise later. The top court has also "placed on record the undertaking given by the State Election Commission through counsel that the CCTV recording at the designated counting areas and centres will be done and duly preserved..Supreme Court gives green signal to UP Panchayat elections counting; directs State to impose curfew till counting goes on.In view of the same, the High Court on Tuesday directed the State Election Commission to produce CCTV footage of the designated counting areas and centres both in the form the footage print and also pen drive for the districts of Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Gautambudh Nagar and Agra. "We make it clear at the same time that in case if the Commission itself finds from the CCTV footage that there has been clear violation of the Covid- 19 protocol and guidelines, it would come up with action plan in that regard," the Court said. The matter will be heard again on May 7. .[Read Order]