The Calcutta High Court onWednesday ordered the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration to ensure that social distancing norms are strictly adhered to, amid the spurt in COVID-19 cases.The high court, while hearing a petition by a lawyer and a resident of the archipelago over Skype, directed the authorities at the Union Territory to continue facilitating home delivery services for essential goods and medicines.In areas where home delivery might not be an option, shops should allowed to operate for a few hours, a division bench comprising Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan and Justice Dipankar Datta said.The court held that social distancing is non- negotiable during the lockdown period, scheduled to end on April 14.The division bench also ruled that helicopter and shipping services in the archipelago, situated 1,500 kilometres from the mainland, should be utilised only for essential services, and for transportation on medical grounds.Appearing for the Union Territory administration, additional solicitor general ANS Nadkarni submitted that the Home Ministry as well as the Prime Minister's Office had been keeping a close watch on the islands, and all efforts would be made to ensure that the situation does not get out of hand.He further submitted that instructions to suit the needs of the islanders were being issued regularly, and there had been no lag in supplying essentials, medicines and healthcare equipment.Because of the unprecedented situation, a number of restrictions have been put in place hindering individual interests to a certain extent, but such moves, he submitted, must ultimately yield to the larger public interest.A monitoring committee formed by the division bench on March 28 had submitted its initial report on the situation in the islands to the court on March 31.The court on Wednesday also directed formation of monitoring sub-committees for North and Middle Andamans, Little Andaman and the Nicobar group of islands.The division bench asked the monitoring sub-committees to file reports on the status of relief and services extended to the islanders by April 7.The matter will be taken up for hearing again on April 8, the court directed.The Union Territory has reported 10 COVID-19 cases so far.
