HC directs DGP to file affidavit on implementation of Covid norms

Prayagraj: The Allahabad high court has directed the director general of police (DGP) of the state to file his affidavit mentioning the steps taken to ensure cent percent wearing of masks by the people and also maintenance of social distancing across the state in order to check Covid-19.
Hearing a PIL relating to Covid-19, a division bench comprising Justice Siddhartha Varma and Justice Ajit Kumar observed, “It was informed to the court that not only in Prayagraj but all over the state of UP, people were not taking seriously the wearing of masks and they were not maintaining social distancing. It was informed that buses, tempo and auto-rickshaws were loading people to an extent which defies any kind of social distancing. We have seen that the police and the administration have worked together tirelessly but yet they have not been able to achieve the desired results. It may be here mentioned that the time has now come when the Director General of Police (DGP) of the state of UP should take the call and come up with a definite modus operandi by which he proposes to see that 100 per cent people would wear masks and they would also maintain social distancing. This matter has to be taken up at the highest possible priority.”
Taking a serious note of the fact that people have again re-encroached those places after the leaving of the team of Nagar Nigam and Prayagraj Development Authority, the court directed the senior superintendent of police (SSP), Prayagraj to see that all re-encroachments are removed.
Besides, on an information given that the work of fogging and sanitization by the Nagar Nigam was not being done properly, the court has directed that the work of fogging and sanitization be done properly not only in Allahabad but it should be done all over the state.
While directing to place this case on October 21, 2020 for the next hearing, the court directed that a copy of this order shall be made available to the chief secretary of the state, the director general of police (DGP), Uttar Pradesh and all the district magistrates, senior superintendents of police/ superintendents of police and the chief medical officers of all the districts of the state through registrar general of this court forthwith.
The court passed this order on October 14.