Delhi High Court directs setting up of Covid Care Centre inside JNU for immediate isolation of residents testing COVID19 positive

In view of the high number of people contracting COVID-19 inside campus, the Delhi High Court has directed that a 'Covid Care Centre' be set up inside the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to provide for immediate isolation of residents testing positive for the virus. (JNUTA vs JNU).A single -judge Bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh has also directed that the feasibility, requirement and the necessity of creating a dedicated 'COVID Health Centre' with oxygenated beds be discussed and deliberated upon by the JNU COVID Task Force with the SDM concerned and Delhi government..If any tie up needs to be created with any hospital in the vicinity, the same shall also be identified in the status report, the Court added..The order was passed while dealing with a petition filed Students Union and the Teachers Union at JNU, as also two JNU Professors. The petitioners sought setting up COVID care facilities in the University Campus, a COVID response team etc..The Court noted that there are 12,000 – 15,000 people residing in the campus, including students, staff members, faculty and their families but without any Covid care facility at all..The campus medical centre, the Court said, is a small area with 1 Chief Medical Officer, 2 Medical officers and 2 staff nurses – some of whom are also not currently available. ."Thus, in case there is a sudden surge, the residents in the campus may face difficulties and there is a need to take further steps apart from what has already been taken by the Covid Task Force and the Covid Response Team," the Court opined. .The Court directed setting up a Covid Care Centre after the premises for the same is identified by the COVID Task Force in consultation with the SDM concerned. If any paramedic/nursing staff are required, the SDM concerned and JNU Task Force shall arrive at a consensus on how the same is to be arranged, the Court added as it suggested that doctors on campus also could be empanelled for volunteering, if required. ."It is expected that the students and the faculty association, as also the administration of JNU, would work together for the betterment of the residents and students of the JNU campus and shall not take any adversarial measures against each other," the Court clarified. .During the course of the hearing, the Registrar of JNU informed the Court that a COVID Task Force of nine members had already been set up and since April 18, several patients who required hospitalisation were rendered assistance. .It was added that there about 100 volunteers are in place attending to telephone calls and emails from asymptomatic/symptomatic patients 24x7, along with the COVID Task Force. .Several letters had also been addressed to Delhi Government, Central government and NGOS, the Art of Living and Khalsa Aid, for tying up with JNU for providing COVID relief, it was said. .Further, in the tests held at four testing camps, 385 persons were found to be positive with COVID-19, including students, staff members, faculty and the family members. Two vaccination camps were also held in which over 690 persons were vaccinated in the age group of 45+ and frontline workers. .Counsel appearing for JNU pointed out that 12 doctors were taken on the panel for a medical tele-counselling facility. .The SDM told the Court that guest houses in the campus could be converted into isolation wards for the resident. Delhi government said that at present, there are sufficient vacant beds in the various hospitals/COVID Care Centres. .Advocates Abhik Chimni, Lakshay Garg, Shashwat Mehra appeared fir Advocates. versu.Standing counsel Monika Arora appeared for JNU. Standing Counsel Santosh Kumar Tripathi appeared for Delhi government. .The matter would be heard next on May 28..[Read Order]