[IAC#RG] Supreme Court’s order on Corona testing

The just Apex Court's judgement to make corona testing free of cost in private labs without waiting for Government's response even for 18 hours  seems hasty. The court's intentions are indeed honourable. But this judgement has enormous implications as follows:

1. If everyone wants to be tested,130 crore tests are necessary (not counting repeated tests) in the next few days. No country in the world has even a fraction of this capacity for testing in terms of manpower, equipment, or laboratory infrastructure. 

2. There will be milling crowds in the few existing labs leading to enormous risk of spread of the virus.

3. In an environment of shortage of resources labs may claim reimbursement for spurious tests. People genuinely needing tests and paying bribes in anxiety cannot be ruled out

4. Government and courts may be flooded with cases relating to failure to provide the free tests ordered by Supreme Court.

5. Even granting the present emergency it is the elected government's burden of responsibility to adhere to financial discipline and use its scarce resources in a wise manner without pressure from any outside institution. While an occasional and exceptional limited  intervention by the Supreme Court could be seen as reasonable, such massive intervention without giving an opportunity to the government is inexplicable. It could be seen as a case of panicking.

6. In continuation of the previous point, why should everyone be eligible for free testing? Surely those who can afford to pay must be required to pay. In respect of others they should bear at least a fraction of the cost. The payment will be proof of actual testing. This will also 

eliminate people who really don't need the test.

With due respect it is hoped that the Court will cover all these points in its detailed judgement.

Prof. N. Natarajan

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