The Bombay High Court on Thursday expressed displeasure over the Centre's inability to install thermal scanner at Pune and Nagpur airports to screen flyers arriving from African countries for Ebola infection.
A division bench of justices Abhay Oka and Girish Kulkarni directed that the equipment be provided immediately. "In public interest and health safety, thermal image scanners should be immediately provided at these two airports." The HC also asked the Centre to file a compliance report on September 25.
Counsel Rui Rodrigues, appearing for the Union Government, said there was a shortage of thermal scanners and hence the Center could not immediately arrange them for these two airports of Maharashtra. The Centre has two options – shift scanners from other airports to Pune and Nagpur or repair two scanners lying idle, which may cost about Rs13 lakh and take four months.
The HC was hearing a public interest litigation filed by activist Ketan Tirodkar, alleging that India was not fully equipped to prevent the spread of the dreaded virus. On last hearing, the HC had given 48 hours to the state to provide medical screening facilities at the two airports, on the lines of facilities provided at Mumbai and Delhi airports.
However, the state had informed the court that scanners were not put up at these two airports as their request to the Centre to provide the scanners is not yet completed.
Thermal scanners can detect variations in human body temperatures, helping health officials identify suspected cases of Ebola infection. At present, doctors at Pune and Nagpur airports have to rely on digital thermometers to detect the passengers who may have fever, said Shyamsunder Nimgade, assistant director, health services in an affidavit.
The affidavit also stated that the director of health services had written to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and the Mumbai Port Trust to start screening crew members of vessels coming from Ebola-hit countries.
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