PIL in HC for ramping up testing, import of self test kits

The Delhi High Court Wednesday asked the Centre and Delhi government to reply on a PIL seeking ramping up of testing in the city, import of self testing kits and ban on sale of fake or faulty N95 masks.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh issued notice to the ministries of Home Affairs and Health as well as the Delhi government and sought their stand on the petition which also seeks priority in vaccination to those who have not tested COVID positive in the last four months.

The plea by a lawyer, Shweta Singh, has sought directions to the authorities to set up a webpage on an urgent basis through which people of Delhi can easily access all the relevant information with respect to COVID-19 related essential medicines, oxygen suppliers and so on.

Singh said several countries like the UK, USA and Canada have developed a mechanism for carrying out self testing at home and the same could be applied here.

The petition has also contended that ''in the open market as of today there are a large number of fake N95 masks being circulated and sold on open platforms and online and in the absence of government directives a wide number of people buy these fake masks believing them to be life saving offering protection against virus''.

It further said that if a portal is set up providing information regarding availability of oxygen cylinders, concentrators, essential medicines and beds would significantly reduce black marketing and hoarding apart from reducing the pain of people running from pillar to post for the same.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)