Uttar Pradesh reported 28 deaths and 1,594 cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday (File)
Prayagraj:
The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday took a serious note of those who were not following the social distancing guidelines against the COVID-19 pandemic and asked the UP government to consider slapping prison terms and inflicting prison terms on them. fines.
He also asked the government to develop a plan to implement the guidelines in “the letter and the spirit”.
The court’s observations for tougher measures come amid the increase in COVID-19 cases in the state and the government deciding to implement a weekend lockdown in public places to contain the spread of highly contagious disease.
Uttar Pradesh reported 28 deaths and 1,594 cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday. The total number of deaths rose to 983 in the state and the number of cases was around 40,000.
On hearing a DIP on the situation of coronaviruses, judges Siddharth Verma and Ajit Kumar stated that they “would not hesitate to suggest that incarceration and high fines be considered” to ensure the implementation of the guidelines. social distancing.
“We cannot understand why the 2020 Uttar Pradesh Epidemic Disease Regulations, 2020, are not properly implemented, which clearly contemplates action under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. Furthermore, we cannot understand why section 144 of the CrPC, which we are saying is in force, is not being used. “
Article 188 of the IPC concerns disobedience to an official’s order and provides for a prison term of up to one month and a fine, or both. A person who violates article 144 of the CPC is punishable by up to three years in prison.
Additional general counsel Manish Goyal, who appeared for the state government at the hearing, said he would hold a high-level meeting to discuss ways to maintain physical distance and ensure that people wear masks.
“This exercise will have to be undertaken necessarily because we note that the Covid-19 infection is still there and that the people of our state are not in some way sensitive to the concept of physical distancing,” Goyal told the court.
