Hon’ble High Court Disposes of Writ Petition 5324(W) of 2020

Details

Liberty Reserved to Petitioner and Respondents to Approach Court if and When Necessary

Port Blair, May 17: After hearing the petitioner Mr. D.C. Kabir and Mr. Nadkarni, Additional Solicitor General in the Writ Petition No. 5324(W) of 2020, Hon’ble Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Hon’ble Justice Arijit Banerjee of Hon’ble High Court of Calcutta, Circuit Bench at Port Blair based on Mr. Kabir’s submission found that the supply of essentials to the inhabitants of Andaman & Nicobar Islands is being effected in the desired manner and there can be no possible grievances on that score. Kabir also submitted that the crisis situation created by the outbreak of COVID-19 in the Islands, is being manage by the Administration. Hence, the Hon’ble Court passed no further order in that regard.

As regards the provision of undersea cable link, in view of the poor connectivity issue in the islands, the Hon’ble Court hoped that the appropriate authorities including the Government of India and the Administration of Andaman & Nicobar Islands shall take all necessary steps as speedily as possible, to provide such link. “This is of utmost importance, without which communication between the inhabitants of the Islands, among themselves and with the people in the main land, shall be seriously jeopardized”.

As regards including a medical expert in the High Court Monitoring Committee, the Central Government may consider having the Director, Personal Health, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, on the Committee. The Director of All India Institute of Medical Science may also be consulted by the Committee from time to time for his guidance and advice, as and when the need therefor arises, observed the Hon’ble Court.

The Hon’ble Court thus disposed of the writ petition in view of the fact that the Administration of Andaman & Nicobar Islands appear to be in control of the crisis situation caused by the outbreak of COVID-19, reserving the liberty to the letter petitioner and also the respondents to approach this Court for appropriate direction, if and when necessity therefor arises.