Ensure Inoculation to All Equitably, State Cannot Halt the Drive, says Chhattisgarh High Court
Raipur: The Chhattisgarh High Court has held the state government irresponsible over the impediment of the vaccination program. The High Court has directed the health department of the state to administer vaccination for all in a ratio of 33% in the third phase.
This direction came after the state government temporarily stopped vaccination of 18-44 age groups following the court’s earlier directive to come up with a clear policy for vaccination of all in an equitable manner while hearing a bunch of petitions challenging a state government order fixing priority in vaccination of economically weaker sections.
Former legislator and Janata Congress President of state, Amit Jogi had moved intervention applications in the High Court challenging the state government order of April 30 through which it had fixed priority in vaccination of ‘ Antyodaya’ or economically weaker sections in the age group of 1844 years. The intervenors argued that such a ‘reservation like priority’ in vaccination is bad in law.
After the high court directed the state to revise their vaccination policy, the administration resorted to halt their drive until the next hearing on Friday.
Reacting to the high court directive, Amit Jogi titled the decision as a victory of justice and hoped the state government would make sincere efforts to change its policy from ” vaccine for none” to ” vaccine for all.
The court has issued verbal orders to the state government to resume their vaccination drive and inoculate all three economic classes of Antyodaya, BPL, and APL in an equal ratio until the state files its detailed policy report on vaccination program.