Movement is also allowed for employees of DTC, Delhi Jal Board, Municipal Corporations, High Courts and trial courts, who shall also be not quarantined unless and until they test positive for the virus or “have been found in contact with a COVID-19 patient”.
The Haryana government Thursday informed the Delhi High Court that people involved in essential services, like doctors, paramedics, nurses, sanitation workers and Delhi Police personnel, can easily move between Delhi and Haryana on production of e-passes, and they shall “not be quarantined unless and until they test positive for COVID-19”.
A bench of Justices Manmohan and Sanjeev Narula was further told that such movement is also allowed for employees of DTC, Delhi Jal Board, Municipal Corporations, High Courts and trial courts, who shall also be not quarantined unless and until they test positive for the virus or “have been found in contact with a COVID-19 patient”.
The statement, in form on an undertaking, was given before the High Court bench by Haryana government’s Additional Advocate General Anil Grover, who also stated that “free movement of trucks carrying both essential as well as nonessential goods between Delhi and Haryana (except to and fro between Containment Zones) as well as transiting through Haryana shall be allowed.”
Taking note of this, the bench disposed of the plea by one OP Gupta, observing that “the aforesaid undertakings/ statements are taken on record and the Government of Haryana is held bound by the same.”
“In the event of breach of any of the aforesaid statements/ undertakings, the petitioner shall be at liberty to file appropriate legal proceedings against the officials of Government of Haryana in accordance with law.”
The Haryana government’s stand came after the court on May 12 posed a query to them as to why “Covid warriors” were being treated as “super spreaders” by the state.
The specific query on the last date of hearing was posed to the Haryana government through its counsel.
Gupta’s plea had sought direction to the Centre for action against Haryana for adopting a restrictive policy and not allowing the movement of people involved in essential services between Delhi and Haryana.
Gupta’s counsel Nitin Garg has sought that Haryana government be directed not to restrict the movement of trucks to and fro Delhi and Haryana.
The Haryana government contended before the High Court that the Delhi-Haryana border is open and the roads near the border have not been dug up.
“The said border shall be kept open and shall be manned by security personnel. E-passes shall be issued to all the aforesaid individuals within thirty minutes of receipt of the applications. Each e-pass shall be valid for the entire duration of the lockdown and could be used for multiple visits,” the bench was told.