Deepali Kalia-
The Maharashtra Government on 20th July informed the Bombay High Court that a policy for door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination drive for the elderly and persons with disabilities on an experimental basis has been formulated by it.
The Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni on behalf of the Maharashtra government informed the Bombay High Court that given the survey conducted by the State it has decided that it will start the vaccination drive from 1st August in Mumbai and then will proceed to other areas.
The survey had found that over 3,500 patients within the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s jurisdiction had expressed interest in getting vaccinated at home.
The Court was informed of this during the hearing of a plea that had sought door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination for specially-abled or bedridden citizens as well as elderly above 75 years of age.
The plea had urgently sought the said policy from the Centre.
A Bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni was informed by Senior Advocate Anil Sakhare who appeared on behalf of BMC that the time till 1st August will be used by the corporation for organization and mobilization of their resources and that it was fully prepared to begin the drive.
The Bench appreciated the State’s efforts and recorded in its order, “The Union did not rise to the occasion. However, the State did and showed the light at the end of the tunnel.”
The Bench also directed for the submission of a report before it by the civic authorities on the progress of the drive.
Advocate Dhruti Kapadia, who appeared as petitioner-in-person had informed the Court that without awaiting a policy from the Centre, many States and municipal corporations in the State had started door-to-door vaccination for their citizens.
Earlier, it was observed by the Bench that the Centre had not prohibited States from conducting door-to-door vaccination for elderly and disabled citizens.
In consideration of the Court’s displeasure at the State’s earlier stance that it will conduct a vaccination drive after the Centre’s approval, the State changed its stance and said that it will not seek the Centre’s approval for the drive.
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