Hyderabad: The Telangana high court on Monday directed the state government to take a final call on whether or not the Numaish exhibition should be conducted. This directive is in view of the fact that the new variant of the COVID-19 virus, Omicron is spreading rapidly.
While hearing a PIL filed by a city-based lawyer Khaja Aijazuddin, a bench comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice N Tukaramji asked the government’s counsel to consider the advisories issued by the Government of India and ensure other statutory permissions before taking any decision.
J Prabhakar senior counsel for exhibition society filed a memo stating that permissions from various departments have been obtained and that the society intends to start the exhibition from January 1.
The court however expressed concern about the present variant of Omicron which is widely spreading. This was followed by the counsel for the Telangana government stating that the exhibition society is yet to take up the call for grant of permission.
The high court also took the view that the call to conduct or not conduct the exhibition rests with the Telangana government.
During the last hearing, lawyer Khaja Aijazuddin informed the court that he has petitioned the Secretary Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana, District Collector Hyderabad and Director of Public Health and Family Welfare.