Negligence despite the strictness of the court
During the second wave of the COVID-19 global epidemic, when the whole country is mourning, the central and some state governments like to provide proper medical facilities for living as per the constitution and to cremate the dead body with dignity in case of death. Instead of protecting the fundamental rights, they were seen trying to blame all the shortcomings on others.
Not only this, the COVID-19 vaccination campaign started with great enthusiasm, but gradually it also became a victim of politics. In many states, the vaccine fell short, and in some states the news of vaccine wastage also started coming to the fore.
When the court directed to present all the information about the corona vaccine, after that Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his address to the nation in this regard that from June 21, vaccination would start in the entire country.
It seemed that the people and the system which had the responsibility of protecting the fundamental rights of citizens, many of them continued to sing their own rhapsody and the patients who were in the grip of corona infection kept breaking their breath. The victims’ families kept wandering for the last rites of their loved ones, for which they were allegedly asked for a bribe. Those who were not able to do so either threw the dead bodies into the rivers or buried them on the banks of the river.
It seems that the leadership and bureaucracy of the selected states did not implement the provisions of the Disaster Management Act honestly in the matter of protecting the fundamental rights of the citizens suffering from the problems arising out of the Kovid epidemic. Whether it is the issue of medical oxygen or life saving drugs or the welfare of the children who have been orphaned in the horrors of this pandemic, the attitude of the bureaucracy is wavering.
The Center and the states are well aware that the implementation of the orders of the Supreme Court cannot be avoided. Despite this, they do not leave any opportunity to delay the implementation of these orders.
On the situation arising out of the exodus of workers from different parts of the country during the first wave of corona infection, when the top court sought information from the Center as well as the states about the registration of these workers and the facilities being provided to them, some states including Maharashtra and Delhi Provided incomplete information.
Something similar is happening during the second terrible wave of corona infection. States like West Bengal started delaying when the court asked for information about children who lost one of their parents or both guardians due to corona infection.
According to the information given to the Supreme Court by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, till June 5, at least 30,071 children have been orphaned across the country due to the corona epidemic.
Similarly, when the Center implemented the ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ scheme under the Food Security Act, many states did not implement it initially. The objective of this scheme is to provide ration to the workers trapped in different states during the Corona period at their place of stay. Under this scheme, 67 crore people of 23 states are to be benefited and 83 percent beneficiaries of the Public Distribution System scheme will also join it. But, some states started politics even with this plan of the Center. The situation is that even during the crisis of Corona infection, political parties are putting their political interests above instead of taking care of the interests of the citizens.
Ultimately, the apex court took cognizance of this development. When the court sought information from the states about the implementation of this scheme, once again the obstinate attitude of West Bengal came to the fore. Ultimately, the court had to say in a stern tone that all the states including West Bengal would have to implement this scheme.
Interestingly, since the spread of the Kovid-19 epidemic in India, to provide better medical facilities to the countrymen, transport facilities to take the workers migrating in large numbers from the metros to their hometowns, during the journey. The court took suo motu cognizance of issues like catering arrangements and registration of these returning workers.
Not only this, in view of all the problems of the workers, the court had also ordered the central and state governments to make arrangements for their stay, food and drink on the way and to reach their hometowns.
It is expected that only the intervention and monitoring of the Supreme Court will bring the country out of the crisis of Corona epidemic. The court is constantly warning the central and state governments to prepare to deal with the possibility of a third wave of corona infection and its effect is also being seen.