Treat as representation PIL seeking setting up of COVID vaccination centres at RWAs, residential societies: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the concerned authorities to treat the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) as representation seeks direction to setting up COVID vaccination centers in the offices of Residential Welfare Associations (RWAs), residential societies, NGO compounds, and other organisations to ensure that people going for vaccinations are less exposed to COVID.

A bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh directs the concerned authorities of the Centre Government and Delhi Government to treat the petition as representation and decide it as soon as possible practically.

Petitioner Ashish Kumar Srivastav, a social activist through Advocates Abhinav Garg, Avani Bansal, Anshul Kumar and Bhanu Pratap stated that allowing societies, companies, and organisations to come forward and support the vaccination drive will help the communities come together and support the government, thereby discharging their Fundamental Duties, especially under Article 51 (e), (h) and (j).

"It will also help maintain social distance, avoid long queues and due to smaller number of people at of these centers - it will easier to take better precaution measures, every step of the way," the plea said.

The plea also stated that the citizens are getting vaccinated at hospitals and dispensaries where there are high probable chances of people being affected and further exposed to COVID. Further, travelling a long distance to go to hospitals or schools and waiting in long queues to get vaccines, will unnecessarily expose more and more people to COVID threat.

Plea further stated that the second wave of the pandemic, which has gripped the country and more particularly nastily affected the citizens of the national capital. Various reports stated that the virus is airborne and people might get infected while in the premises of hospitals.

It also sought to set up a monitoring committee under the supervision of experts in the field, to ensure an effective, swift vaccination drive in Delhi, with minimum COVID exposure to the people of Delhi.

It also sought direction to review and assess current available infrastructure and facilities for vaccination, in a scientific manner and as per international standards.

"The coronavirus is spreading at a very fast rate and if proper precautions are not taken, then many more fatalities will occur. The health infrastructure has already crashed due to the surge in Covid-19 cases. It is a well-known fact that until now there is no cure for COVID and the only way to protect the public is to prevent crowding. In the light of the present outbreak and crisis, it is a matter of utter necessity to make vaccination centers available within their premises," the plea stated.

( With inputs from ANI )