Door-to-door vaccination could have saved many lives: Bombay HC to Centre

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday, May 12, said if the Union government had started a door-to-door vaccination programme for senior citizens a few months back, then the lives of many of them could have been saved.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish Kulkarni also asked the Union government why not pro-actively start this programme when the lives of senior citizens, who are unable to go to vaccination centres to get inoculated, are concerned.

The bench also directed the Centre to inform by next Wednesday what steps it took to comply with its assurance to the court to re-examine its stand against door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination.

It also gave BMC time till Monday to submit its plan on starting vaccination camps in every city ward. The bench also directed the BMC to file an affidavit stating details of the same and by when it would begin and what steps the corporation plans to take for the next few days with regard to the vaccination programme.

The two-judge bench was hearing the public interest litigation filed by two lawyers Dhruti Kapadia and Kunal Tiwari seeking door-to-door vaccination facility for senior citizens above the age of 75, specially-abled persons and those who are bed-ridden or wheelchair-bound as well as assistance to register on Co-WIN and relaxation of the need for ID for the homeless and transgenders.

Moreover, the court also sought to know from the civic body about what measures it plans to take for the vaccination of homeless people, beggars and those living on the streets.

"They are also a significant population and are spreaders of the coronavirus, the HC said.

“What has the BMC done about the homeless people sleeping under flyover bridges? They are a significant number,” the bench added.

The court noted that many foreign countries have already started door-to-door vaccination facilities. "In India, we do many things late and things travel to our country very slowly," Justice Kulkarni said.

It directed the Union government to file an affidavit by May 19, when it would hear the matter further.