K’taka HC asks govt to submit action plan to counter potential third wave of Covid-19

Team Udayavani, May 13, 2021, 10:50 AM IST

Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday directed the state government to prepare an action plan to counter the third wave of Covid-19.

The court directed the government to prepare and submit the action plan within two weeks.

A special division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar passed the direction during the hearing on Karnataka’s Covid-19 status and preparedness.

The court said that it is high time that the state government starts preparation for dealing with the third wave by projecting estimates of the requirement of beds, drugs, oxygen, medical personnel etc.

The court had also asked the government about bed and medicine requirements in the state. The government submitted that there are 45,754 oxygen-supported beds, 5,305 ICU beds and 4,109 beds with ventilators available across the state.

The court then said that as per the Central government’s requirements, the state should have 66,333 oxygen beds, 13,969 ICU beds and 8,332 ventilator beds. It further directed the government to immediately make use of the beds created by the SWR in Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Hubballi.

The court further stated that the government must audit the use of said Remdesivir drug and oxygen in the state and also asked the government to appoint a senior IPS officer to monitor the investigation into the bed scam alleged by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya.