'Don't wait for Centre's nod, start door-to-door vaccination for select groups'

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked the Mumbai civic body if it was possible for it to introduce a doortodoor Covid19 vaccination programme for senior citizens and disabled persons who are unable to visit inoculation centres and if yes they should go ahead and not wait for Centres approvalA division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni said if the BMC Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation was willing to start a doortodoor vaccination programme for these groups the HC would grant it permission even though the Union government has not given nod for such a driveThe bench noted that it seems the Union government was not keen on starting a doortodoor vaccination programmeldquoIf the BMC says it can start a doortodoor vaccination we will give it permission No need to wait for the Central governments nodrdquo said the courtWill you come to the help of elderly citizens Even though the Centre is not giving green signal for doortodoor vaccination we are willing to give you BMC green signalrdquo Chief Justice Datta saidAlso Read Bombay High Court asks JJ Hospital to form expert panel to examine Stan SwamyldquoWill the BMC be able to go to the house of those persons who cannot step out of their houses and vaccinate themrdquo the court askedThe court directed BMC Commissioner Iqbal Chahal to file an affidavit on Thursday stating if it would be possible for the civic body to introduce a homebased vaccination drive with proper medical care for senior citizens disabled persons and those who are bedridden or wheelchairboundThe court said it will hear the matter further on Thursday noting each day is precious in such times referring to the raging Covid19 pandemicThe court was hearing a public interest litigation PIL filed by two advocates Dhruti Kapadia and Kunal Tiwari The PIL sought a direction to the Central government to initiate a doortodoor vaccination drive for senior citizens above the age of 75 persons with physical disabilities and those who are bedridden or wheelchairboundThe HC had earlier asked the Union government to take a relook at its policy that said doorstep vaccination was not possible due to various reasons like wastage of vaccines and nonavailability of observation centres for beneficiaries after they are inoculated for any immediate side effectOn Wednesday Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh appearing for the Union government told the court that an expert committee has been set up to look into the issueThe committee had a meeting on May 18 and has submitted a few suggestions like transporting people who are unable to move out of their houses on stretchers to vaccine centres Singh saidHe added that a Standard Operating Procedure SOP would be issued by the government on the issueThe court however noted that the experts in the committee maybe academicians but they seem to have zero knowledge about ground realitiesThe bench said there are many places in the country where buildings are situated in narrow lanes and hence it would not be possible to bring out a person on a stretcherChief Justice Datta gave examples of Kolkata where he was born and brought up and said the buildings in that city are situated so close to each other that it would not be possible to take a stretcher thereJustice Kulkarni then pointed out there are old buildings with wooden staircases even in Mumbai There are many households in our country that are situated in narrow bylanes and elderly citizens and disabled persons living here may not be able to come outAre you Centre saying that these persons are not entitled to get the vaccine How do you Centre cater to the needs of such people the court askedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever