Read Time: 04 minutes

The Karnataka High Court has asked the state government to say if it has sought any permission for organizing NEOCON-2021 in Bengaluru. 

NEOCON-2021, which is scheduled to be held from December 16-19, is expected to have over 3,000 medical professionals as delegates from India as well as other countries.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum said, 

"The additional government advocate may seek instructions as to whether any permission has been sought by organisers to convene the conference and whether any measures have been taken by the state government to ensure the adherence of SOP for Covid-19."

The State has been directed to respond by December 17 when the matter will be next taken up for hearing. 

The court was hearing a petition filed by one doctor who raised concerns of spread of COVID-19 if NEOCON is conducted physically. 

Appearing for the petitioner, Advocate Shridhar Prabhu contended that doctors from all over the country as well as from neighbouring countries have been invited to this conference.

In the current scenario, where there is a potent danger of Omicron, a variant threat of Covid-19, if the conference is conducted, it may end up being a super spreader event.

This apart, the court was apprised that the state government had issued an advisory on November 28, postponing all social, cultural and academic events in all educational institutions. So, state will not permit such large gatherings as it is against the public interest, the petitioner contended. 

Despite all the safety measures, Prabhu added, if any doctor contracts the virus, then the entire gathering will have to be quarantined. 

This would adversely affect the existing medical facilities in the hospitals in the state as these doctors would not be available to attend their patients.

In this regard, the plea seeks to refrain the National Neonatology Forum to conduct the conference in physical mode.