The Maharashtra government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) told the Bombay High Court on Tuesday that home vaccination would be offered for the bedridden in Mumbai from August 1.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G.S. Kulkarni said, “The Union government did not rise to the occasion. However, the State government has risen to the occasion and today there is some light at the end of the tunnel.”
The Bench went on to say, “We hope and trust that the State government and the BMC shall leave no stone unturned to ensure that the eligible bedridden and immobile individuals will also have the benefit of the COVID-19 vaccine.”
Maharashtra Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni told the court that the State has come up with a draft policy for home vaccination for bedridden people. He said that the policy will be finalised without major modifications and a status report with regard to vaccination of eligible persons will be given to the court on August 6.
Counsel for BMC and senior advocate Anil Sakhare informed the court that 3,505 people had registered for home vaccination till July 26. He said, “We had planned to start the vaccination drive from Pune but now we will start it from Mumbai on the basis of the response received.”
The court was hearing a public interest litigation by two city-based advocates — Dhruti Kapadia and Kunal Tiwari — seeking door-to-door vaccination for those above 75 years of age and the wheelchair-bound.
