Nainital High Court makes wearing of masks mandatory in courtroom

DEHRADUN: Amid fears of a surge in Covid-19 in the country, the Nainital High Court on Monday issued a notification that it will be possible to enter the courtroom only by wearing a mask.

"In view of the danger of spreading of Covid-19, it will be possible to enter the courtroom only by wearing a mask in the Nainital High Court," said the notification.

On the instructions of Nainital High Court Chief Justice Vipin Shanghvi, the Registrar of the High Court issued a notification that all officers, staff, lawyers and parties will be able to enter the court only by wearing masks. As per the notification, the Registrar has also instructed for continuous sanitization of all courtrooms and not to allow crowding inside the courts.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Affairs statement on Sunday, India recorded 227 new COVID cases in the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday decided to hold mock drills at all health facilities across the country on December 27 in the wake of the COVID alarm due to a surge in infection in many countries.

This is to ensure readiness in the availability of oxygen support, and ICU beds among other preparedness measures in case of a surge of COVID cases in India.

According to the Ministry, the objective of the exercise is to ensure the operational readiness of these health facilities for the management of COVID.

Detailing the focus on the parameters during the mock drills, it said that the main focus will be on the bed capacities including isolation, oxygen-supported and ICU beds at the health facilities.