Delhi HC directs JNU administration to set up `Covid Care Centre' inside premises

The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration to provide for immediate isolation to residents who have beentested Covid positive and a 'Covid Care Centre' to be set up inside the JNU.

"The premises for the same be identified by the COVID Task Force, in consultation with the concerned Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM). This would enable such affected persons to immediately isolate and for their basic parameters to be monitored", says Delhi HC orders.

The directions of Justice Prathiba M Singh came on Thursday while hearing the petition filed by the Students Union and the Teachers Union at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), as also two Professors who teach at the University.

Petitioners state that due to the outbreak of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, around the second week of April, the Petitioners wrote a letter to the Registrar of the Respondent University, highlighting the alarming situation due to COVID-19 on the JNU campus, seeking various steps to be taken for controlling the situation.

Thereafter, the petitioners were continuously sending letters to the Registrar of JNU, Vice Chancellor of JNU as also the ADM/ SDM of the concerned area seeking immediate intervention for setting up COVID care facilities within campus in light of the massive surge of COVID-19 and the number of COVID positive cases within the JNU campus.

Meanwhile, the court noted the submissions of JNU administration and other respondents that the COVID Task Force and the COVID Response Team is already working within the JNU campus.

"The Court, while posted the matter for May 28 for further hearing, also directs that to facilitate the monitoring of the basic parameters of those who are detected positive with COVID-19, if any paramedic /nursing staff are required, the SDM and JNU Task Force shall arrive at a consensus, as to how, the arrangement would be made for paramedic/nursing staff. The doctors on campus also could be empanelled for volunteering, if required, for any patient in the isolation centre", the Court said.

The Court also said that insofar, the creation of a dedicated "COVID Health Centre" with oxygenated beds in JNU is concerned, the feasibility, requirement and the necessity of the same may be discussed and deliberated upon by the COVID Task Force with the SDM of the concerned area and Delhi Government.

"If any tie-up needs to be created with any hospital in the vicinity, the same shall also be identified and the terms and conditions thereof would also be mentioned in the status report", the Court informed.

( With inputs from ANI )