A Press Conference is being organised at Jawane-Hind-Club under the banner of ” Swami Agnivesh Bichar Manch”, presided by Swami Sombesh on the topic of “Corona Pandemic & Violation of Fundamental Rights” Guaranteed under Indian Constitution ( Particularly Right to Life, Article-21) on the back drop of recent Order of Hon’ble High Court of Odisha in respect of Public Interest Litigation Case No:- 17152/2021 filed by Gyandatta Chouhan regarding inability, mismanagement, and negligence of health sector in Western Odisha in reaching out to Covid affected people during the ongoing Covid Pandemic. The said Manch welcomes the Order of Hon’ble High Court dated 7th July’2021 in appointing Retired Dist Judge A.B.S Naidu, former Dist Judge as Inquiry Officer for the said purpose to submit the Inquiry Report before 1st Nov’2021 well in advance the next hearing on 8th Nov’2021. The said Manch also loud the exemplary courage of 9 deponents from the districts of Sambalpur, Bargarh and Jharsuguda for standing by Truth which will inspire others for the same.
The High Court itself has observed it was entirely possible that there were lapses & said affidavits raise serious questions involving ” Fundamental Right to Health (In Providing Highest Standard of Care to Everyone) which is inherent part of Article-21 of Constitution & said issues need to be investigated by an Inquiry Officer by providing an opportunity of being heard to all stake holders. The Inquiry Officer will also give suggestions regarding payment of compensation where said negligence or lack of timely treatment is established. The said officer will also in his report give suggestions after consulting with expert witnesses on the steps to be taken to improve the existing medical infrastructure and standard of medical care provided at VIMSAR, Burla and generally in other Government medical/health care facilities.
As per the said Order Govt of Odisha had to issue a notification for the appointment of Inquiry Officer within a week from the date of receipt of said Order, to be followed by intimating the process of Inquiry by issuing a Public Notice within a week of said Notification, as far as our knowledge is concerned, the said Notification is yet to be issued. The Public Notice to be issued by Inquiry Officer subsequent to issuance of Govt Notification inviting other persons (other than those 9 who have already submitted) within a maximum period of 15 days from the date of said notification. The said Manch demands issue of said notification at the earliest without further delay.
Further the said Manch questions the role of opposition parties and their elected representatives who failed to stand by the sufferings and woes of distressed during the said pandemic and are now trying to score out a political mileage out of it by targeting the State Govt after several recent observations and orders of High Court in this regard instead of working in cohesion to combat the said pandemic.
The Manch observes, it was a collective failure of both Central and state governments in anticipating gravity of said human disaster of 21st Century and their dealing with it. It is the result of withdrawal on part of government from health sector over the years. The private health sector has failed miserably in dealing with the said disaster faced by the Nation and the public health sector which lacks investment was the only alternative available for the people despite its limitations. The Manch demands Central and state governments to desist from under reporting of covid cases and deaths by non-adhering ICMR Guidelines in this regard, their gradual withdrawal from health sector and to publish actual figures of covid cases and related deaths and to raise expenditure on health considerably to 5% of GDP by 2025 from 1.6% at present in order to provide highest standard of health care to everyone.
The said Manch will also send memorandums to Central Government and state government in this regard.
The said Press Conference was attended by Mahesh Sayta, Mahendra Mishra, Bruhaspati Swain, Md Sanaulla, Gyandatta Chouhan, Janmajay Behera, Ganesh Gaigouria, Subham Saswat Mishra, Arnab Babu,Mohammad Yusuf and Md Issaque.