Telangana HC summons Chief Secy, other top officials over COVID-19 management

In the view of the increasing number of corona deaths in Telangana due to the non-availability of oxygen, the Telangana High Court has directed senior officials, including the chief secretary, to appear before it on July 28.

Hyderabad (Telangana): The Telangana High Court has directed senior officials, including the chief secretary, to appear before it on July 28 in connection with a plea related to COVID-19 management in the state.

Apart from the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary of Health, Director of Public Health and Family Welfare and Director of Medical Education and Commissioner of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation were asked to appear before the Telangana HC on July 28.

Speaking about the case, Chikkudu Prabhaker, counsel for the petitioners said, "The division bench of High Court comprising Chief Justice, has heard the Telangana Democratic Forum's public interest litigation (PIL), filed by Professor PL Vishweshwar Rao and Dr Cheruku Sudhakar elaborately and extensively. I brought to the court's notice that COVID- 19 patients are losing their lives in the state due to non-availability of oxygen, at Nizamabad, Nalgonda and Warangal."

Prabhaker also said that he had raised the issue of Osmania General Hospital in Hyderabad, whose wards were flooded with rain and drain water, and had also asked for Rapid Antigen testing to be conducted in the state by using the 2,00,000 kits provided by the Centre.

"The court directed the government to ensure availability of oxygen cylinders in all notified COVID-19 hospitals in the state and to submit the report to the court. It also directed the government to conduct Rapid Antigen tests to the people wherever needed and to submit a report on the next date of hearing," the counsel said.

The court also questioned as to why the higher authorities in the state should not be suspended over the non-compliance of its earlier orders related to COVID-19 management in the state.

Telangana recorded 1,198 new COVID-19 positive cases and 7 deaths on Monday. The total number of cases rose to 46,274 including 11,530 active cases and 422 deaths, according to the state health department.

(Inputs from agencies)