New Delhi, Jul 19 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Monday during the hearing of an intervention application, against Kerala government's decision to relax Covid lockdown restrictions for three days in view of Bakrid amid high high infection rate of 10.9 per cent, remarked that Uttar Pradesh Covid positivity rate is "allegedly 0.04 per cent".

The application was moved by one PKD Nambiar, a Delhi resident, in the suo motu case already initiated by the Supreme Court in connection with Uttar Pradesh government's decision on Kanwar Yatra. Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for Nambiar, argued positivity rate in Kerala is 10.9 per cent, while in UP it was only 0.042 per cent, when this court intervened in the Kanwar Yatra matter and expressed its discontent with the UP government's decision to allow the yatra. Singh said the positivity rate in Delhi is merely 0.08 per cent and added that a positivity rate of over 5 per cent is certainly not good.

At this juncture, the bench headed by Justice R.F. Nariman said, "allegedly 0.04%". Singh contended these statistics are put out by respective state governments and pointed out the grim situation of COVID-19 in Kerala. He urged the court to pass an order in the matter.

The application submitted that despite discontentment shown by the top court over the yatra, the Kerala government is acting in a casual manner by relaxing Covid norms. "To the utter dismay of India's citizens, the Kerala government announced a 3-day relaxation of lockdown restrictions on July 18, 19 and 20 keeping in view the upcoming Bakrid festival," said the plea.

Kerala government counsel submitted that it has only opened few shops for the festival and otherwise all norms for Covid are strictly followed. The top court asked Kerala government to file response by evening and agreed to take up the issue on Tuesday.

Senior advocate C.S. Vaidyanathan, appearing for the UP government, reads out the affidavit the bench also comprising justice B.R. Gavai that Kanwar sanghs in various districts have decided not to conduct Kanwar Yatra and hence, no order from the state disaster management authority is required. The bench recorded in its order that yatra will be postponed this year too.

The top court also asked the UP government and all authorities including police to take stern view of any violation of Covid norms. The bench said authorities concerned should sternly look into any untoward incident, which directly affects the life of public.

On July 16, the top court had pointed out that fear of a third Covid wave looms large over all Indians as it asked the Uttar Pradesh government to reconsider its decision on a physical Kanwar Yatra. On UP government's symbolic Kanwar Yatra proposal, the court had replied, "the right to life is paramount" and asked the government to reconsider its position on annual ritual that sees a heavy movement of pilgrims across states in the northern belt.