The Itanagar Bench of Gauhati High Court has constituted a 5-member fact-finding committee to look into the alleged dilapidated and unhygienic condition of the Covid Care Centre (CCC) at Lekhi near Itanagar.
The Court on Friday heard a case based on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by social activist S.D. Loda, ordered the committee to visit the CCC on September 08 and carry out a ground assessment of its functioning and maintenance.
Loda in his PIL stated: “The Covid-19 positive patients quarantined at CCC, Lekhi have not been provided hygienic environments by sanitizing and disinfecting the premises on a daily basis or were being served quality meals to boost their immunity.”
The petitioner further stated that no psychosocial support was being provided to the inmates/Covid-19 patients by the doctors and the centre also lacked sanitization workers.
Lack of adequate safe drinking water and other basic facilities such as bedsheets were also highlighted by Loda.
The respondents, on the other hand, maintained that the CCC is being managed as per the World Health Organisation’s recommended guidelines and the guidelines issued by the National Centre for Disaster Control.
“The sanitization of the CCC is done three times a day by the Itanagar Municipal Corporation and adequate nutritious foods are also being provided to the inmates/Covid-19 positive patients,” the Health department said in its affidavit.
“In view of the rival contentions and counterclaims made in respect of the state of affairs in the CCC, Lekhi, the learned counsels appearing for the parties have agreed for constitution of a fact-finding committee to find out the state of affairs with the centre and submit a report thereafter,” the Court said.
The five-member fact-finding committee shall visit the Covid Care Centre, Lekhi on September 08 to make a ground assessment of the functioning and maintenance of the centre and submit the report, the order said.