Don’t stop COVID-19 patient ambulances at borders: HC dictum to Telangana government

Telangana High Court on Friday directed the Telangana government not to stop ambulances of different States ferrying COVID-19 sufferers from coming into Telangana for medical therapy.

The order needs to be communicated to the cops who have been stopping ambulances at the State borders instantly, the HC mentioned. The order was handed by a bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy, after listening to a PIL petition.

The petitioner moved a House movement difficult Telangana government’s just lately issued tips on COVID-19 sufferers being introduced from different States to Hyderabad for medical help. The bench issued notices to State government and directed it to file counter affidavit inside two weeks.

While directing Telangana government not to stop ambulances coming from neighbouring States, the bench made clear that it “should not adopt any circuitous way of issuing fresh guidelines, circular or order putting pedals on inter-State travel of ambulances carrying COVID-19 patients”.

The authorities mustn’t insist with the sufferers or their attendants coming from different States to apply in a prescribed format to the Control Room (which was arrange to tie-up with any hospital in Telangana for COVID-19 patient admission). The bench additionally clarified that in case if a patient or attendant on his or her personal applies to the mentioned Control Room, the officers manning the latter can help them in securing hospital admission.

The Bench clarified that there was no requirement of any authorisation from the management room for an ambulance carrying a COVID-19 patient searching for hospital admission in Telangana. While issuing the instructions, the bench famous that Supreme Court had just lately handed an order in a PIL plea taken up suo moto with particular reference to hospital admissions.

The Union government too launched a government order complying with the apex courtroom instructions. The bench additionally recalled its earlier instructions, whereas listening to a batch of PIL pleas on COVID-19 associated points, to Telangana government not to stop ambulances of COVID-19 sufferers coming from different States.

Telangana government’s motion of stopping ambulances coming from different States from coming into the State drew sharp criticism from totally different quarters. Stopping the ambulances, with COVID-19 sufferers requiring instant medical consideration inside, at the State borders by the police created chaos for the previous few days.

In this backdrop, the PIL plea was filed by transferring a House movement which was heard urgently by the HC on Friday afternoon.