The Supreme Court on Friday disapproved of a Maharashtra state government order that said that private labs cannot give positive test results of coronavirus directly to the patient. The order said that the report will first have to be submitted to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for review. The apex court has asked Maharashtra Government to review its order.

Reacting to the development, Senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya said, “Supreme Court has stopped the 'dadagiri' (bossing around) of the Thackeray government and the BMC. On June 13, the private labs were told not to give positive Covid-19 test results to patients or their families. People had opposed this and BJP too was against this move. Today, the apex court has directed that the private labs will have to give the test reports directly to the patients or their families.”

The BJP leader had recently written a letter to the BMC Commissioner Iqbal Chahal and demanded that the circular be withdrawn.

Incidentally, on Friday morning the BMC chief also released a note on the circular saying that it was made to benefit the symptomatic patients who were often not getting beds in the city. According to BMC, private hospitals were admitting asymptomatic patients on the pretext of earning money.

BMC is yet to react to the development. Recently, Mumbai, selected suburban services resumed operation, on up and down routes over Western and Central Railways for the essential staff of State Government only. The Western Railways tweeted that all booking offices opened at all stopping stations.

These special suburban services will not be available for general passengers/public. The Railways has requested not to rush to the stations and follow medical and social protocols as mandated for COVID19.

Around1.25 lakh essential staff including 50,000 on the western railway as identified by the state government are expected to travel by these trains. The WR will run 73 pairs of its 12 car suburban services between Churchgate & Dahanu Road and Churchgate & Virar while the CR will run 200 services between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus & Kasara/Karjat and Panvel. The Maharashtra Government has also informed that 13,456 passengers have arrived in Mumbai via 82 flights under the Vande Bharat Mission so far. Out of these, 4,989 are the residents of Mumbai, whereas, 4,364 are from other parts of the state and 4,103 from other states. A statement from the Chief Minister’s Office said that an additional 76 flights are expected to bring more stranded passengers back to India by the end of this month.

So far, citizens stuck in 38 foreign countries, including those in Europe, America, the Gulf region and Asia have been brought back. All the passengers have to compulsorily remain in institutional quarantine, either in Mumbai or in their respective district centres. Citizens from other states are accommodated in Mumbai until their travel passes and other necessary documentation is completed. 

Meanwhile in Maharashtra, the total number of Covid-19 positive patients has reached 1,24,331. 3827 new patients have been diagnosed positive for Corona and at present, 55,651 patients are undergoing treatment. As many as 62,773 patients have recovered to date. The death toll has now risen to 5,893 with 142 more deaths reported in the last 24 hours. The State Government is increasing facilities for diagnosis and treatment of coronavirus affected people.

Story Input .  India Today