Calcutta HC directs WB govt to submit report on steps taken to fight COVID-19

Kolkata, Apr 8 () The Calcutta High Court onWednesday directed the West Bengal government to file a reporton steps taken by it in the fight against the coronavirusoutbreak in the state.

Hearing a PIL through a video conference, a divisionbench of the high court directed the state government tosubmit the report through e-mail by April 16, when the matterwill be taken up again.

The bench, comprising justices Dipankar Datta andJoymalya Bagchi, asked the state to ensure that proper safetymeasures are taken for the healthcare staff dealing withpatients and people suspected to have contracted the disease.

Petitioner's lawyer Bikash Bhattacharya alleged thatdoctors, nurses, paramedics and other healthcare staff, whoare on the front lines of fighting the coronavirus pandemic,were not being given proper protective gears.

He also claimed that tests of suspected coronavirus-infected persons were not being done as per guidelines of theIndian Council of Medical Research.

Bhattacharya, representing petitioner Fuad Halim, alsoalleged that all data regarding the tests done and number ofpeople afflicted with the dreaded virus were not being sharedby the government. AMRBDC BDC