Follow BMC Footsteps to manage Covid-19 pandemic: Bombay High Court to other municipal corporations in State

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday asked the municipal corporations in the state (Sneha Marjadi v. Maharashtra State) to consider the model followed by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) while dealing with the Covid-19 situation in Mumbai.  Municipal Corporations in the State were asked to consider the model (Sneha Marjadi v. Maharashtra State). According to the AG, Maharashtra will receive 1,804 metric tonnes of oxygen from the center. 

Neck and neck were almost required. He said that Maharashtra was currently producing 1,200 metric tonnes of oxygen, of which 10 Pressure Swing Adoption (PSA) medical oxygen generation plants were producing 50 metric tonnes of oxygen per day in the state.  The target was to increase production to 268 MT per day.  CJ Dutta intervened at this stage and said that although the situation in Maharashtra was better than most other states, they did not have to lower their guards as a third wave seemed inevitable. 

The court cited a newspaper report alleging that a private hospital in Sangli district of Maharashtra had supplied its own oxygen to meet the growing demand.  Why do not all private hospitals have their own oxygen plants?  To meet their own needs for active consumption.  Every private hospital has exceeded the time it takes to come up with their oxygen plants.  "We do not want a single death in Maharashtra due to lack of oxygen," the court said. The AG submitted that the state was not getting enough rendezvous from the Central Government. 

Although 8,09,000 bottles of the drug were released, only 3,50,871 bottles were received.  Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, who appeared for the Center, informed the court.  In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the court said the center had submitted alternatives to remdesivir, which is equally effective in treating Covid-19.

Hospitals and medical doctors should not be forced to prescribe foreign drugs to treat Covid-19 if the drugs manufactured in India are cheaper, more widely available and equally effective in treating Covid-19, the court said.  The court was told that even the Supreme Court order passed in the suo-Moto Covid-19 case had discussed the matter. 

In response, the court asked the Center, “If there is a debate in the Supreme Court order on effective drugs, why is there no advice for that? If there is any for-profit institution, the Center and the State need to lower their footing.   The court is scheduled to hear the case on May 12 along with the other covid.  Related matters.