High Court Pulls Up Delhi Govt Over Inaction In Making COVID Care Centre Operational Inside JNU Campus

The Delhi High Court on Thursday pulled up the Delhi Government over its 'inaction' and 'lethargy' in making operational the COVID care centre inside JNU campus.

Justice Rekha Palli was of the view that despite repeated orders, the direction for setting up a covid centre in JNU campus was not being followed by the Delhi Government in true letter and spirit.

Taking note of the fact that the University had already earmarked a space inside the Sabarmati dormitory for setting up the centre, the Court said that it was the inaction on the part of Delhi Government which led to the centre not being operational till date.

"The Court is unable to appreciate the inaction and lethargy on the part of respondent no 2 (Delhi Government)," the Court said.

This came after the counsel appearing for the Delhi Government submitted that they had set up separate hospitals and covid care facilities in the city for people coming from outside and for the betterment of people. However, he added that inside JNU campus, separate set of doctors have to be allotted.

"There was a direction to you. They had a place, you had to put your doctors there. Why have you not done it? We will have your senior officer present in Court now," the Court said.

It added,

"Court clearly said, that you will make the covid care centre operational. In the last two three months I didn't pressurise you because I thought the situation was better. Today you give me this story that you have other centres. That is not the idea. Once a Court has passed the order, you're supposed to do it."

Accordingly, the Delhi Government sought time to get instructions as to why the directions passed by the Court were not implemented.

"At request, list on January 19," the Court said while adding that it wanted to see positive steps from the side of the Government.

The Court was dealing with a writ petition filed by the Students Union and the Teachers Union at JNU as also two of its Professors, seeking various directions to the Respondents including a direction for setting up COVID care facilities in the University Campus, as also a COVID response team, and certain Oxygen facilities inside the University Campus premises.

The petitioners argued that due to the outbreak of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, around the second week of April, the Petitioners wrote several letters to the Registrar of the Respondent University, the Vice-Chancellor of JNU as also the ADM/ SDM of the concerned area seeking immediate intervention.

However, there was no response from any of the said authorities, and on any of the concerns raised by the Petitioners, thus, the petition was filed.

Noting that the COVID Task Force and the COVID response Team is already working within the JNU campus, Justice Pratibha Singh had issued directions in the matter after observing that setting up a dedicated 'COVID Care Centre' would enable such affected persons to immediately isolate and for their basic parameters to be monitored.

Case Title: JNU Teachers' Association & Ors. v. JNU & Anr.