Lekha G –
The Delhi High Court has pulled up the Centre for not utilizing the Country’s vaccine manufacturing capacity to its full potential and remarked that the officers sitting over untapped potential to make Covid-19 vaccines must be charged with “Manslaughter”.
The Bench comprising of Justices Manmohan and Najmi Waziri observed, “There is a lot of scope and infrastructure which is available for manufacturing of vaccines. This untapped potential has to be utilized. Your officers are not realizing this.”
The Court opined that there is urgent hand holding required for manufacturing vaccines and it is missing because of “Fear psychosis” of vigilance enquiry, audits and police investigation and such potential should not be taken away by foreigners.
The Court made such contentions on result of an application filed by Panacea Biotech seeking release of arbitral award passed in favour of them and further directed the Centre to expedite the process of clearing samples of Panacea Biotech which has collaborated with Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) for manufacturing Sputnik V in India.
In context of requirement of a test for a vaccine manufactured in India, the Court quizzed the Centre asking, “Why you want them to go through a bridge trial, if you have made the bridge trial for the imported vaccine. You have done away with it for the imported vaccine. Why insist it for the domestic manufacturer but not for the manufacturer abroad.”
Additional Solicitor General Balbir Singh, representing Centre further contended that the issues of procuring and manufacturing vaccines including Sputnik are pending before the Supreme Court and hence the Court should not pass any order in the present condition.
The Bench posted the matter for further hearing on June 4.