The Allahabad High Court today directed Uttar Pradesh government to immediately provide medicines and special masks to people to shield them from contagious swine flu.
Lucknow bench of the court gave the directions to Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (medical-health) of UP on a Public Interest Litigation seeking direction for proper and effective control of swine flu and other influenza-like diseases.
The division bench, comprising justices Imtiyaz Murtaza and Ritu Raj Awasthi, passed the order in an open court and also observed that schools and colleges should adopt preventive measures.
The court asked the state government to make the arrangements within two to three days.
The court also asked the Central government to provide full help to the state and make available medicines and masks.
Earlier, the court had summoned DG Medical-Health, district magistrate, chief medical officer and municipal health officer (MHO), Lucknow to inquire about the measures being taken and future steps to curb the spread of the disease.
These officers were also present in the court.
According to Nutan Thakur, counsel for petitioner Tripuresh Tripathi, it was alleged in the PIL that the events of the last few days have proved beyond doubt that the Centre and UP government have failed to control swine flu.
Peoples are suffering and dying because of lack of facilities, the PIL alleged.
It was also alleged that the state government and private hospitals are showing "extremely casual attitude" towards this "serious and killer disease".
On behalf of the state government, Additional Advocate General Bulbul Godiyal told the court that serious efforts have been made by the state government to protect people from such diseases.
