Keypoints:
- The court was of the opinion to ban cigarettes and bidis as the Covid virus affects the lungs and weak lungs are severely affected.
- Judges stressed on the need for the citizens to strictly follow Covid protocols.
- Court also directed Maharashtra government to ensure all possible ways to make Remdesivir available to Covid patients.
On Thursday, the Bombay High Court sought response from the Centre and the state government and it suggested a temporary ban on the sake of cigarettes and bidis amid the ongoing pandemic. It also sought response about the data of Covid-19 patients who are addicted to smoking.
The court said that it was of the opinion to consider a temporary ban on cigarettes and bidis since it affects the lungs and weak lungs are severely affected. Along with this, the court also directed Maharashtra government to ensure all possible ways to make Remdesivir available to the patients affected by the virus. It stated that the patients or their relatives will not run from pillar to post to find the drug.
With such considerations, the judges also stressed on the need for its citizens to follow all the Covid-19 protocols.
On Thursday, the court heard the PIL seeking effective management of Covid-19 and the detailed order was made available on Friday.
“We are equally concerned as to whether the persons who are affected by Covid -19 and have become critical are persons smoking cigarettes and bidis, as it is by now well-known that the Covid-19 virus affects the lungs and weak lungs are affected more severely,” the HC noted.
The bench observed that no information on the effect of Covid-19 of smokers was available in the public domain from the Centre or state government, to this, the bench added, “If this is an issue which would matter and is fatal to the health of the citizens, we are of the opinion that measures would be required to be taken to ban sale of cigarettes and bidis during the pandemic time.”
The bench has ordered that Remdesivir be made available to patients directly at the hospital or Covid centers and said that, “To ensure the availability of the drug a Nodal Agent with the helpline number with adequate staff at its disposal to undertake the supply of the drug at the required hospital/Covid centre shall be appointed.”
The court also noted that it would be an “absolute obligation” of the state government to keep the helpline number in operation all over Maharashtra for 24 hours.
