Telangana HC stays KCR govt's order to allow COVID patients from other states only with prior hospital tie-up
Hyderabad | Jagran News Desk: The Telangana High Court on Friday stayed the state government's order to allow ambulances with COVID-19 patients coming from neighbouring states "only if they have prior tie-up with hospitals", reported news agency ANI.
Slamming the Telangana government, the High Court asked how it will intercept ambulances from other states, directing it to allow all ambulances freely into the state.
"Not only the people of other states, but also the residents of Hyderabad have not been confirmed with beds, and the government is not allowed to violate the National Highway Act," the High Court said, as reported by India.com .
The High Court had also rapped the state government over its ambulance order from neighbouring states. The court, while hearing a batch of PILs on COVID-19 situation in the state, expressed concern over reports of Telangana police stopping ambulances carrying infected patients to the city for treatment as the patients did not haveconfirmed beds from any of the hospitals here.
The Telangana Police had on Monday started restricting patients coming to the city in ambulances from neighbouring AP at border points, a move aimed at avoiding pitiable scenes of patients waiting for beds near hospitals.
Many patients were turned back from borders, with police saying they did not have confirmed beds at city hospitals.
The police, however, allowed patients who had confirmed beds.
The bench sought to know if the state government had issued any advisory before implementing the restrictions.
The court also directed the city police to ensure that lockdown, which will come into force from May 12, was implemented in letter and spirit.
The Telangana government has decided to impose lockdown for ten days beginning from May 12 from 10 AM to prevent the spread of COVId-19, with four hours relaxation in the morning daily.
(With agency inputs)