SHILLONG: The High Court of Meghalaya on Thursday dismissed a petition filed against the high rates being charged by the state government for conducting COVID-19 tests, stating that the issue appears to have been addressed by the state respondents since the government has fixed new rates for Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), RT-PCR, TruNaat and CBNAAT tests.
“This Court, therefore, need not dwell on this issue any longer for the time being as the re-fixation of rates appears to be reasonable,” the order said.
Earlier, appearing on behalf of the litigants, senior counsel, SP Mahanta and counsel, K Paul also raised the issue of inconvenience that is being caused to entrants at the check points who have to wait many hours before they are given their RAT report, and they submitted that the state respondents (government) should put measures in place that will ease this problem for the travellers or entrants.
In his response, Advocate General, A Kumar, brought to the Court’s attention the revised protocol issued on October 27 wherein the norms have been relaxed to a certain extent and it was noted that entrants with a negative RT-PCR/TruNat/CBNAAT report not having any symptoms are exempted from quarantine and that entrants with a RAT-negative report would, however, have to undergo mandatory 7-day quarantine.
Kumar also submitted that checking facilities are in place at all entry points and the protocol, as laid down and in force, is being followed. Both Mahanta and Paul submitted before the Court that the revised protocol exempting an entrant with a COVID-negative report from testing irrespective of their state of origin, should be highlighted and widely publicised, as this will greatly reduce the number of persons taking the test at the entry points. With regard to the matter concerning the alleged negligence in the treatment of a pregnant lady and the loss of her baby, the Advocate General furnished the inquiry report with regard to the same, and had prayed for time to prepare to argue the matter.
The Court was of the opinion that the issue should be taken up separately since the main issues highlighted in the PIL are with regard to the steps taken by the state government in the war against the pandemic.
The High Court Registry was directed to segregate the materials concerning this issue and register the same as a miscellaneous case in the instant PIL to be heard separately on a date to be fixed subsequently.