New Delhi, April 30 (TNIE Online desk): With social media becoming the new ‘SOS’ platform for many people during the second COVID-19 wave in India, the Supreme Court on Friday said “don’t want any clampdown of information. The court will treat it as a contempt if such grievances are considered for action.”
“We want to make it very clear that if citizens communicate their grievance on social media, then it cannot be said it’s wrong information,” said a bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud.
Confirming that the ground reality in most states is the lack of medical oxygen not meeting the excessive demand, the SC asked the state governments to come up with a plan of action.
The court, taking cognizance of the current Covid-19 crisis, said “Governments need to tell what difference they can make between today and the next date of court hearing,” especially in Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Further, the court observed that the situation is ‘indeed grim’ as even doctors and healthcare workers are not getting beds.
The court said the Centre should adopt national immunization model as poor people will not be able to pay for vaccines.
“What happens to the marginalised and SC/ST population? Should they be left to the mercy of private hospitals,” it asked.
The court also said the government must consider National Immunisation Programme for various vaccines and must think of providing free of cost vaccination to all citizens.
