The Supreme Court today has dismissed a plea requesting to pass an order for the conversion of hotels to isolation wards and shelter homes.
Brief Facts
The pleas sought for the acquisition over all the hotels and resorts and convert them for housing persons seeking shelter and few as isolation homes amid the coronavirus lockdown. The prayer in the plea also takes reference of a prior PIL filed by an advocate requesting immediate action taken by authorities to help the migrant workers with shelter homes and all the necessary needs. This plea has also mention that, the measure suggested above will help save time, and money as these premises are well equipped with separate bedrooms, kitchen, staff at service. The applicant made a statement saying “Governments across the country are in the process of spending huge amounts on acquiring stadiums, railway coaches and converting them into quarantine facilities which may not be necessary, before exhausting self contained accommodations which have ready facilities already”- stated the application”[i]. The plea further states that by the application of section65 of the Disaster Management and Epidemic Disease Act, 1857 says that the concerned authorities can use the “available resources” for optimum use.
Key Points
1. A plea before the Supreme Court has been filed requesting to take acquisition over the hotels and turn to shelter homes and isolation wards.
2. The plea has stated that with the help of section 65 of the Disaster management and Epidemic Disease Act, 1857 said that the concerned authorities can use the “available resources” for optimum use.
3. The applicant mentioned that use of stadiums and railway coaches doesn’t match with the minimum requirements as the virus is dangerously contagious.\
4. The applicant is of the opinion that this idea will help save money and time as hotels have all the services.
5. The Supreme Court has dismissed this case.
6. Hon’ble Justice L. Nageswara Rao and Hon’ble Justice Deepak Gupta has observed that “People are coming with millions of ideas; cannot hear everyone”[ii].
Conclusion
Acquisition over the hotels and converting them to accommodate people who are in the need of shelter and isolation wards is an idea to be appreciated. As the court has already dismissed this application, its later to the decision of the government and other authorities to give this an another thought.
Edited by J. Madonna Jephi
Approved & Published – Sakshi Raje
Reference
[i] Livelaw News Network, SC Disposes Plea For Conversion Of Hotels To Shelter Homes & Isolation Wards Amid COVID-19 Lockdown Live Law (2020), https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/sc-dismisses-plea-for-conversion-of-hotels-to-shelter-homes-isolation-wards-amid-covid-19-lockdown-154725 (last visited Apr 3, 2020).
[ii] Livelaw News Network, SC Disposes Plea For Conversion Of Hotels To Shelter Homes & Isolation Wards Amid COVID-19 Lockdown Live Law (2020), https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/sc-dismisses-plea-for-conversion-of-hotels-to-shelter-homes-isolation-wards-amid-covid-19-lockdown-154725 (last visited Apr 3, 2020).
