Nagpur: With Covid-19 cases going down across the state, the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court asked government authorities and research institutions to turn their focus to other aspects of the virus.
It included studying plasma therapy’s side effects on patients, including possible acceleration of its mutants, as published by University of Basel in Switzerland in its research papers.
While hearing the suo motu PIL based on a TOI report on bed shortage, a division bench comprising justices Sunil Shukre and Avinash Gharote directed National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri) to submit progress report on its May 12 orders to explore the possibility of plasma therapy giving birth to new mutants.
“As some respite has been provided to the community due to decline in active cases of Covid patients, some time has become available for all the authorities to make appropriate preparations to face another wave of pandemic, if at all it strikes the society.
Therefore, it’s now time for the authorities and research institutions to turn their attention to other aspects of Covid,” the bench said.
Requesting the Neeri director to submit his report before the next hearing on June 30, the judges hoped that he had already started conducting intensive research on the subject.
“If he requires any assistance of this court or the government authorities, including from GMCH, IGGMCH and collectorate among others, he should inform the HC registry.
If any such information is received by the registry, it would be appropriately dealt with by the registrar (administration) in association with registrar (judicial) immediately, and the report shall be submitted to this court.” Earlier, the judges granted permission to collector Ravindra Thakare to issue work orders to Noida-based W-2-E Engineering Private Limited for installing an oxygen generation plant (PSA) of 100 cubic meter per hour capacity at a cost of Rs1.74 crore at AIIMS.
Govt must intensify efforts to tackle black fungus infection Stressing on the need to take more steps to tackle the infection caused by dreaded black fungus disease, which had taken many lives post Covid, the judges asked the state to intensify its effort in tackling it.
The directives came after the government filed an affidavit on steps it had taken for tackling the infection.
It included creating awareness about mucormycosis, taking steps for improving the standards of hygiene and cleanliness in hospitals, and providing incentives to companies for production and supply of vital drugs like Amphotericin B required for treating patients.
Repair 130 O2 cylinders at earliest for Covid patients The HC directed the collector to repair 130 oxygen cylinders so that they could be used for Covid patients in the city.
The orders came after his affidavit mentioned that out of 400 oxygen cylinders requisitioned from premises of a private company at Kamptee, only 200 are ready for use.
“We direct the collector to immediately put these 200 cylinders in circulation.
Out of the remaining 200, 70 cylinders are stated to be beyond repairs, but 130 could be put to use.
The collector should repair them within two weeks,” the judges said.