HC asks K’taka govt to submit action plan to counter Covid third wave

Bengaluru: The Karnataka high court on Wednesday directed the state government to prepare an action plan for countering the potential third wave of Covid-19. A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar gave directions during a hearing on the state’s Covid-19 preparedness.

“It is high time that the state government starts preparation for dealing with the third wave. By projecting estimates of the requirement of beds, drugs, oxygen, medical personnel etc. We direct the state to prepare an action plan and vision statement dealing with the state of preparedness for dealing with the third possible wave of Covid-19,” the bench said.

The court gave the state government two weeks’ time to come out with the action plan.

Prior to this, the court had asked the government about bed and medicine requirements in the state. In its reply, the state government said that a total of 45,754 oxygen beds, 5,305 ICU beds are available along with 4,109 ventilator beds. The court then pointed out that as per the Central government’s requirements, the state should have 66,333 oxygen beds, 13,969 ICU beds and 8,332 ventilator beds.

“Thus, it can be said that there is a huge shortage of beds at the state level… the situation in Bengaluru regarding availability of beds continues to be critical especially when over 15,000 cases are reported every day in the city,” observed the court.

The bench then went on to ask the government to appoint a senior IPS officer to monitor the investigation into bribe for bed scam alleged by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya. “Looking into the sensitive nature of allegations, it is necessary that investigation is regularly monitored by an experienced senior IPS officer.” The court asked the state government to consider deploying officers specializing in cybercrime who can be part of the investigation team as well.

The bench also asked the BBMP commissioner to take over the facility of beds and staff offered by the Air Force within 24 hours and make sure the facility is made operational immediately. It also asked the state government to offer an explanation in writing as to why beds that were offered by Railways were not taken over.

The bench also pointed out that the state must audit the use of said Remdesivir drug as well as oxygen in the state. If some hospitals are unnecessarily using it, state will have to step in, the bench added.