HC directs to form Committee to examine feasibility of using Hotels as COVID-19 Hospitals

The High Court of Delhi has asked to constitute a committee of doctors, with a request to visit 2 proposed hotels--Surya Hotel, New Friends Colony & Crown Plaza (Okhla) & give a report on the advisability/feasibility of these hotels being used as extended Coronavirus hospitals.

The HC also request Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS & Dr V.K Paul, Member of the Niti Aayog, to visit the two hotels in question & give their report on the advisability/feasibility of using these hotels as extended COVID hospitals.

On Thursday, Justice Navin Chawla passed above direction on the plea files by 2 hotels challenging Delhi Govt decision to convert hotels into makeshift hospitals for Covid-19 patients.

Petitioner during arguments flagged various issues which would arise if the hotels are to be used as extended COVID hospitals. It said that the presence of air conditioning, the lack of large lifts which are capable of being used for stretchers, lack of bio-waste disposal, as also the measure to safeguard the hotel workforce that may be required by the hotels for providing services as stipulated in the orders dated 29.05.2020 & 02.06.2020, etc.

They submit that use of these hotels as extended COVID Hospitals would in fact, not be advisable.

The HC while passing the directions also said that "the petitioners (Hotels) shall be entitled to depute one officer each to highlight their concerns to this Committee. Equally, the respondents may also depute its officers who may help the Committee & give their inputs to the said Committee.The Committee shall also be entitled to take the help/assistance of such other persons as may be deemed necessary in this exercise", Court added.

Next date of hearing in the matter is June 15 & the committee needs to submit a report to the court till June 14.

Earlier, the hotels disputed that the Govt's order is "unilateral" & they were not consulted before passing it. Delhi Govt in an order dated 29th May had asked several hotels to be converted into Coronaviru hospitals.

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