[COVID-19 spike] Gujarat High Court to close for sanitisation; State urged to cut down crowds, decide on whether curfew is needed

Amid a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in the State, the Gujarat High Court on Tuesday urged the State to take a decision on whether lockdown/ curfew or crowd restriction measures can be introduced to bring the situation under control. .Following the hearing, a notification was also issued, intimating that the Court has decided to close its premises to carry out sanitisation from April 10 (Saturday) to April 14 (Wednesday)..The High Court premises, the Judicial Academy, Auditorium and offices in the High Court premises would be sanitised, it is informed. For this purpose, the Chief Justice has decided to close the High Court and its registry. The notification cites the rapid increase of COVID-19 cases in Ahmedabad as well as the rise of COVID-19 infections at the High Court by the day as reasons..Earlier today, Chief Justice Vikram Nath orally observed that on account of rising COVID-19 cases, the High Court staff is also under pressure. "We fail to understand how to control. The mortality rate is increasing", he added..Advocate General Kamal Trivedi responded that the the State government is considering divergent views on whether a lockdown should be imposed, considering that a lockdown may bring other kinds of miseriese. "Government is in catch-22 situation. We encourage people to get vaccinated", the AG said. .Chief Justice Nath, in turn, opined that gatherings have to be cut down."Government has to take a decision. The wedding size is currently 200 people and it should be cut down to 50 people", he noted. .He went on to inform further that about 8-10 members of the High Court staff are being infected by COVID-19 on a daily basis. The Registrar General of the High Court is in serious condition, he added. "Something needs to be done about the rising cases. Death rate has increased. What else can you do? No political functions, no social functions?" Chief Justice Nath suggested..AG Trivedi, while expressing agreement with the Chief Justice, added, "We have increased the quarantine zones...Compulsory quarantine is being imposed... Some people have social taboo against testing. We are trying to break this social taboo against COVID-19 testing.".The AG also observed that the the severity of the infection appears to be relatively less now. "Experts say that this time the severity is not as previous. People are getting affected. But its not dangerous", he said.."But the mortality rate has gone up", Chief Justice Nath pointed out. Justice Karia weighed in, echoing the Chief Justice's concern in remarking that, "Mortality rate has gone up 4 times."."Please convey our concern to decision-makers", the Chief Justice added..He went on to inform that a decision is being taken on whether the courts in Gujarat should be put on lockdown for a few days while suggesting that the State may adopt similar measures.."Three days or four days of curfew may help. There were such action in the past. This may help...We are considering the same for High Court and District Court to impose a lockdown. We are having a standing committee meeting and we will convey our decision by 2.30 PM", Chief Justice Nath said.