The Supreme Court, on Friday, took up the hearing of the suo moto case filed on the way the Central government is handling the crisis of the second wave of coronavirus in the country. The court expressed impatience with the center’s approach to the process of curbing the spreading of the virus and vaccination. A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud asked why there were different immunization prices for the central and state governments, and why the Center was not purchasing 100% of the vaccine doses.
The Supreme Court has also enquired the Centre about oxygen supply, distribution of emergency medicines, vaccination, etc, as part of the same case. The SC asked the Centre about the steps that are being taken to ensure that oxygen tankers and cylinders reach all hospitals and the amount of oxygen that is being supplied to each hospital. It also asked the Centre to produce complete details on the restrictions and actions taken on the lines of lockdown.
Furthermore, the SC asked if the poor and underprivileged people have internet access, and how they are able to register themselves for vaccination otherwise.It also asked how those working in cemeteries are being vaccinated, and if the Centre implementing Section 92 of the Patent Act. The SC also asked why there is a difference in the prices of vaccine doses being sold to central and state governments, and asked why the collection is not being carried out entirely by the Centre.
The SC also asked how vaccine manufacturers are maintaining equality between states in order to provide doses, and why the Centre did not follow the national immunization program procedures. The Center has also been asked about the population between the ages of 18-44, and the steps that are being taken to vaccinate this population.
The court asked the Centre to submit a record of how it plans to control corona treatment prices, and how are medical staff are overcoming shortages, The Centre has also been asked how temporary treatment centers were being set up if there was a shortage of beds in hospitals.
Going a step ahead, the SC said that it is not wrong to seek help on social media and that false information should not be spread around social media, which would make citizens panic. The SC also said that no action should be taken against anyone who is seeking medical help on social media by the center and that it would be considered contempt of court if such a thing was done.