Uttrakhand HC directs State to quarantine migrants from red zones for a week

Uttarakhand High Court directed the State government to quarantine migrants from red zones at the State border for a week in order to stop the spread of coronavirus. The Court's orders came after a petition was filed in the court and the next hearing is on June 2.

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Measures to stop the spread of coronavirus

The decision, given by a division bench of justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ravindra Maithani read, "More than two lakh persons are likely to come to Uttarakhand since the opening of the state borders. More than 90,000 persons have already reached Uttarakhand. The remaining are coming on a daily basis and roughly 6000 - 7000 persons are entering Uttarakhand from various border points each day. At each border point, the state government shall make every possible effort to establish and make functional quarantine centers. In these quarantine centers, all such returnees who are coming from red zones shall be kept for a period of one week."

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"Out of these quarantined persons, those who have necessary symptoms, as per the guidelines of ICMR, shall be tested for RT-PCR. Although rapid antibody test has not been approved by ICMR for diagnostic purposes, since the result of this test is available in much less time, such tests can be used for surveillance purposes alone," the Court's order read. 

"At least it would be better surveillance than the surveillance by thermal screening! Mr. Rakesh Thapliyal learned Assistant Solicitor General of India, who is representing ICMR has given a statement before this Court that ICMR has no objection if rapid testing is done only for surveillance purposes, but this decision has to be taken by the state authorities."

"ICMR has also recommended certain manufacturers, who make rapid testing. The Secretary, Health, Government of India, has fairly admitted that this test can be done on an experimental basis at border points and subject to its success or failure will be implemented further or discontinued. We appreciate this suggestion. Let the rapid test kit be procured immediately and testing be done by this method on an experiment basis at the border points," the bench added. 

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Meanwhile, the Union Cabinet approved the 'AtmaNirbhar Bharat package', as per Govt's principal spokesperson K.S Dhatwalia. The cabinet has also approved several other schemes like ‘Pradhan Mantri  Vaya Vandana Yojana’ (PMVVY), modified "Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme (PCGS)", "Scheme for Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (FME)" etc. These announcements were made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as part of economic tranches - a part of India's Rs 20 lakh crore economic package to fight Coronavirus (COVID-19). 

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