Telangana HC urges state to consider weekend lockdown

The Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to review the COVID-19 situation and consider imposing additional measures such as implementing weekend lockdown and extending the present curfew hours to flatten the virus curve.

A Bench of Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy, while hearing a batch of PILs (Public Interest Litigations) on COVID-19 issues, directed the government that the review should be done before May 8. Currently, night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am the next day is in force until May 8 (till 5 am).

Also, the court directed the Union government to ensure proper supply of oxygen to the state after the Telangana Public Health Director informed the court that the gas tankers meant for the state were being stopped in Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar told reporters that the pandemic situation in the State was under control and cases were expected to decline in the coming days, “Telangana is doing much better compared to other states in the country. There are ample beds, no shortage of medicines nor consumables in the state,” claimed Somesh Kumar.

He further said the situation was not alarming and the government would examine the direction given by the court and take appropriate decisions on weekend lockdown.

Speaking on the oxygen availability in the state, Somesh said “The state has 27 oxygen refillers and 63 oxygen sellers. We have our teams deployed at all these places. Telangana is managing oxygen efficiently. Keeping in mind the increasing cases, 600MT of oxygen will be required. We are trying various possibilities to bring in more oxygen,”. He also mentioned that an oxygen audit is being carried out in all hospitals in the state to ensure the judicious use of oxygen.

The government knows that the situation is under control and we also know that there is not much use with lockdown, he said. He said there was a need to follow treatment protocols and rules to contain the spread of the disease.

(With PTI Inputs)