The West Bengal government onThursday submitted before the Calcutta High Court an affidavit-in-opposition in connection with a PIL that alleged that ICMR and WHO protocol was not being followed by the state for tackling the COVID-19 outbreak.The state government submitted its position through the affidavit on clarifications sought by a division bench comprising Chief Justice T B N Radhakrishnan and Justice Arijit Banerjee.Hearing in the PIL was, however, adjourned by the division bench till April 28 on a request made on behalf of the state government.The court gave liberty to the petitioner to file an affidavit-in-reply to the state's position by the next date of hearing.The division bench had on April 17 directed the state government to furnish details and information asked for by it in the form of an affidavit by the next date of hearing.The state was directed to file its response on whether WHO (World Health Organisation) and ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) guidelines and advisories were being followed by all stakeholders, including the state administration.The bench had directed the state government to report to it on the acceleration of the rate of sample collection and testing in adherence to ICMR testing protocol and WHO guidelines."We are of the view that it is necessary that the official respondents (West Bengal government) give a deeper look to the requirement of more number of samples being collected and subjected to tests on warfooting," the division bench had said on the earlier date.In a report placed before the bench on April 17, the state Health secretary said that with an increase in the number of testing laboratories in West Bengal, there had been a steady rise in the number of tests being conducted across the state and that it was expected to increase further in the days ahead.Petitioner Fuad Halim, a doctor profession and also a CPI(M) leader, had claimed before the court that the guidelines issued by the WHO and the ICMR for tackling the COVID-19 outbreak were not being adhered to by the State of West Bengal and that adequate tests of samples were not being done.
