'Stop fooling us': Uttarakhand HC reprimands state govt on COVID-19 preparedness

Reprimanding the state government over its preparedness to deal with the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic, the Uttarakhand High Court has asked it to gear up for the Delhi Plus variant.

Hearing a plea related to the Uttarakhand government's handling of the pandemic, a division bench comprising Chief Justice RS Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma slammed Health Secretary Amit Negi, saying that "you cannot leave the children to die, your arrangements are insufficient".

"Stop fooling us and we know the reality. Don't tell the Chief Justice that there is Ram Rajya in Uttarakhand and that we live in heaven," the high court said.

The court added that "The Delta variant was spread across the country in a month, the Delta Plus variant will not take even three months. What are you doing to save our children? You must be thinking that Delta Plus variant will say let the government prepare first then it will attack."

It further noted that while there is a need to work on a war footing during the pandemic, bureaucratic hurdles are being created to delay processes. It also questioned the government on its claim of having adequate ambulances.

"You have enough ambulance. The claim is false, you talk about enough ambulances in the state, while there are frequent reports that pregnant women in the hills do not get ambulances, they have to be taken by palanquins," the court added.

The court posted the matter for the next hearing on July 7, by that time the Chief Secretary and the Health Secretary will have to file an affidavit with details.

(With ANI inputs)