[Covid-19]: District Administration Vellore not to vacate outside treated patients staying in lodges, Madras HC in PIL

The Madras High Court on April 30, 2020 {D.W.Karuna Miriyam v. Union of India & Ors.} held that there is a likelihood of the treated patients who have been discharged from the CMC Hospital and the patients who are under treatment and in the event of compulsion to vacate from the lodges etc., they are likely to get infection.

The HC, therefore, directed that the District Administration of Vellore is directed to ensure that treated patients are not vacated from the Lodges in which they are staying till 07.05.2020.

It was the case of the petitioner that in the Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore, patients from Northern and North-Eastern part of the country used to come for treatment and as of now, there are 9,911 patients who have been treated and are discharged and for want of transportation facilities to go to their native places, they are left in lurch. The District Administration of Vellore has passed a proceedings dated 17.04.2020, calling upon them to pay 50% of the cost/rent and that 25% of the cost to be borne by the lodge owners and the balance of 25% by the District Administration, and it was contended that since they are hailing from poor economic background and also without any financial support, they are likely to be thrown out of the Lodges and since most of them are travelers, they are likely to be affected by COVID-19 and prayed for appropriate directions in PIL filed before the HC.

On the other hand, the State Government contended that they are under huge financial stress and difficulty and they have to attend to the needs of every person and taking note of the facts and circumstances as well as the fiscal needs, the impugned proceedings dated 17.04.2020 came to be passed.

The Madras High Court directed not to vacate outside treated patients who are living in lodges till next date, and fixed the matter for 07/05/2020.