HYDERABAD: Agreeing with the concerns that the third wave of Covid-19 may adversely affect unvaccinated people like children, the Telangana high court on Tuesday directed the state government to convey to the court within three days the steps its health authorities have taken to cater to the needs of the children.
A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili said this while resuming the hearing in the Covid-19 batch PILs. The bench said the medical kits being supplied during the state's door-to-door survey to those who were found suffering from fevers were general in nature. "Children may need special kits in tune with their requirements. Also, tell us what happened to your promises of setting up more children hospitals to face the third wave challenge," the bench said addressing the state government.
Kowturu Pavan Kumar, counsel for one of the petitioners, brought to the notice of the bench the fact that as many as 1.75 lakh people were identified with fevers during the state survey. But, the daily medical bulletin of the health department was showing the Covid-19 cases at around 3,000 per day, he said.
Supporting this view, senior counsel L Ravi Chander said the statistics being furnished by the state "are like the proverbial emperor's new clothes". Everyone knew that they were not correct. At least let the state government ensure social distancing and mask norms. "Nobody is wearing the mask outside. No one is questioning them on the road," he said. Ravi Chander further said: "Let the director of public health appear before this court and answer the queries of the petitioners."
The bench then directed the state government to penalise those who were not wearing masks and roaming freely. The bench sought a detailed report from the health department.
It wanted the DPH or any other expert to appear before the court virtually on January 28, the next date of hearing.
