A division bench of the Bombay High Court comprising of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni, said the Centre’s approach towards Covid-19 which is the society’s biggest threat at present should be like a surgical strike and not waiting at the border for virus to come out. The bench said that the Union Government’s “near to home” vaccination program is like waiting for the virus to come to the Centre.
The bench highlighted that the government was taking decisions for the welfare of the public at large, but they were delayed which has resulted in the loss of several lives.
The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by two advocates - Dhruti Kapadia and Kunal Tiwari - seeking a direction to the government to start a door-to-door vaccination programme for senior citizens above the age of 75, specially-abled persons and those who are wheelchair-bound or bed-ridden.
On Tuesday, June 08 2021, told the court that currently “door-to-door vaccination” was not possible but it has decided to start near to home vaccination policy.
On Wednesday, June 09 2021, the high court pointed out examples of the door-to-door vaccination programmes started by Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and Odisha and also a few municipal corporations like Vasai-Virar in Maharashtra.
The bench also raised many questions to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as why it was the only authority waiting for the Centre’s nod to start functioning regarding the same when other states and authorities had already implemented their plans.
The court also directed the Solicitor General appearing for the Centre, to consider the issue once again. The Court said, “We trust the government will come up with a sound policy taking into consideration what is happening in the country. The Centre should recognise the sentiments of not only the senior citizens and those who are unable to go to the vaccination centres, but also their family members.”
The bench posted the matter for further hearing on June 11, 2021.
