Haryana to allow entry of medics from Delhi, but with e-passes

Stating that about 56% of the coronavirus cases in the national capital region (NCR) districts — Gurugram, Faridabad, Jhajjar and Sonepat — had Delhi connections, the Haryana government on Tuesday told the Delhi High Court (HC) that it will allow back and forth movement of medical professionals from Delhi on production of movement passes.

Hearing a public interest litigation, the HC had on May 8 said that orders of the Sonepat district magistrate (DM) restraining the movement of doctors, nurses, court officials and trucks from Delhi to Sonepat constituted an infringement of the constitutional provisions.

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) had on May 11 asked the states to ensure that interstate movement of medical professionals, nurses, paramedics was facilitated. The directions came after the issue of restrictions being imposed by some states, including Haryana, was flagged during a meeting between the cabinet secretary and state governments on Sunday.

“Ensuring unhindered movement of medical professionals is essential for meeting public health requirements and saving precious human lives,” Union Home Secretary, Ajay Bhalla said in his communication to the state governments.

Haryana’s additional advocate general Anil Grover told the court that in furtherance of May 11 directions of the MHA, the state government has evolved a procedure of movement passes (e-passes) which will be given to medical professionals without any hassle. “Today, we have provided about 55 passes to medical professionals living in Haryana’s NCR districts and working in AIIMS, New Delhi, to facilitate their movement,” he said.

In response to a query as to why e-passes were being sought by Haryana instead of identity cards issued by central or Delhi governments or hospitals, Grover told the HC that while identity cards can be forged, e-passes issued by state government cannot be forged as they bear a bar code. He emphasised that e-passes were being issued within minutes of letters or phone calls being received from officials of the central government or hospitals.

The HC, however, asked the Centre to convince the state government not to press for movement passes and resolve the issue. The matter was listed for May 14.

Grover said, “Our argument is centred on the fact that majority of Covid-19 cases in four districts are an outcome of daily to and fro commute of passengers from Haryana’s NCR districts to the national capital.”

The movement restriction orders are not Delhi centric, he said, adding that they applied to inter-district travel within Haryana as well as to and fro movement of commuters to Uttar Pradesh. Grover said similar notifications restricting the movement (as the one issued on April 30 by the Sonepat DM) have been issued by the district magistrates of Faridabad, Gurugram and Jhajjar.

“The entire endeavour is to ensure that pandemic does not enter the rural areas of Haryana because havoc will get created if it does,” Grover told the HC.

In an affidavit filed before the court, the state government said that the April 30 orders of Sonepat DM had exempted the movement of ambulances, ATM vans, LPG cylinders, oil containers and tankers from Delhi. Moreover, movement of grains, milk, poultry, cereals, lentils and other eatable items, excluding fruits and vegetables, besides green and dry fodder, medicines, medical equipment and transit logistics movement of essential and non-essential goods from Delhi was allowed by the Sonepat administration.