Nagpur: In reply to Nagpur bench of Bombay high court orders, the Maharashtra government on Wednesday informed that it had granted administrative sanction to set up Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDL) at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCHs) at Chandrapur and Yavatmal on April 4.

The reply was filed by Mumbai-based Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) on the government’s behalf, in response to petitions filed by CH Sharma and businessman Subhash Zanwar through counsel Ram Heda..

Additional government pleader Deepak Thakre informed that VRDL couldn’t be set up in backward district of Gadchiroli in the absence of proper set up and even GMCH. “For VRDL, proper set up is required along with qualified technicians and pathologists, who aren’t available in Gadchiroli. Therefore, it’s very difficult to have such a facility there,” he told TOI.

After hearing replies and arguments from all sides, justice Atul Chandurkar reserved the order till Thursday.

Earlier, amicus curiae Anup Gilda pointed out TOI’s report of Tuesday, which said Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) didn’t grant approval for

testing laboratories at GMCH in Nagpur and Akola, despite the fact that full set up was ready. The report also mentioned that the proposals for ICMR’s approval for these two VRDLs along with AIIMS were dispatched at the same time, but only latter received the nod.

Later, the collector’s reply admitted that mere imposition of Section 144 of CrPC was insufficient to control citizens and, therefore, he had requested police commissioner to strictly ensure that not a single person or vehicle would be allowed to roam unnecessarily on roads. Similar appeal was made to superintendent of police for rural areas.

On

’s directive to set up isolation wards inside jails, the collector informed that he had requested IG Prisons along with deputy director of health and deans of IGGMCH and GMCH to make efforts. Accordingly, a separate quarantine barrack has been set up inside the Central Jail, where 15 inmates could be accommodated and all new prisoners are first kept there for 14 days and then shifted elsewhere after medical tests.

The collector added that governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari had held meeting with all divisional commissioners on March 28 where he directed them to take care of migrants. Accordingly, shelter camps were set up for such people across the state and in cities where they are being provided breakfast and food.