Madhya Pradesh has reported 313 positive coronavirus cases of which 57 were reported on Tuesday. A total of 14 people have lost their lives in the state. (PTI Photo. File)

The Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission (MPHRC) has served a notice to the state’s Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains and other top government officials for allegedly trying to dodge COVID-19 tests and a delay on part of IAS officers and health department employees who tested positive for coronavirus in getting themselves admitted to hospitals despite showing symptoms. It has asked Iqbal to submit his response by 5 pm on Thursday.

The commission said it took cognisance of the matter on the basis of a news report and information submitted by Congress MP Vivek Tankha via his tweets.

At least 40 of the 85 coronavirus cases in Bhopal have been reported within the Madhya Pradesh Health department. Those who have tested positive include two IAS officers Principal Health Secretary Pallavi Jain Govil and Health Corporation MD J Vijay Kumar. Additional Director of Health Veena Sinha has also tested positive.

Reports suggest that Govil and others got themselves admitted to a hospital after a lot of bureaucratic and administrative interventions, despite showing COVID-19 symptoms, thus side-stepping rules framed to check the spread of the virus and allegedly causing an avoidable delay of two days.

Interestingly, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had praised Govil for effectively fighting the crisis in the state, saying, “It is with assistance from officials like you that we will soon get rid of the infection from the state.”

Govil has been participating in the meetings that included the CM, Chief Secretary and other senior officials to discuss the situation that has arisen out of the pandemic.

On Tuesday, the department of public relations issued a press release in which the government defended Govil. It said that her son had arrived from the US on March 16 and as per the advisory issued by the government, US was not among the 12 nations listed by the government notification for restrictions to be observed.

“He was tested at the Delhi airport then remained under home quarantine till 30th without any symptoms, he is healthy. After Pallavi Jain Govil tested positive on 4th, after that other family members were tested and none of the symptoms of corona were found in them,” the release said.

Meanwhile, the landlocked state has reported 313 positive coronavirus cases of which 57 were reported on Tuesday. A total of 14 people have lost their lives in the state.