The Supreme Court on Monday said the government was “very active” in dealing with the coronavirus threat and that even its critics had appreciated its efforts, stressing that “this is not politics but facts”.

“We are satisfied that the government has become very active to deal with the present situation and even the critics are saying that they (the government) are doing a good job. This is not politics but facts,” the bench of Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and Justices L. Nageswara Rao and Surya Kant said.

The bench was hearing a batch of petitions that have sought directions to the Centre and other relevant authorities to adopt more measures to check the pandemic, such as increasing the number of labs that can test for the virus.

The apex court asked the petitioners to submit a representation to the government on the matter.

A plea was mentioned before the bench seeking the closure of places of worship to ensure social distancing.

“We cannot pass orders which we cannot implement. We will ask the states to consider your plea as a representation and look into it,” the Chief Justice said.

One of the petitions moved in the apex court has sought a direction to the authorities to increase the number of quarantine or isolation centres, temporary hospital beds in rural areas, and thermal screening at public places.

Journalist Prashant Tandon and social activist Kunjana Singh, the petitioners, have also sought wider availability of testing labs given the country’s huge population.

Their petition, filed through advocate Ashima Mandla, has urged the creation of a centralised national management authority to handle the preventive measures.

“Thermal screening is required for persons within the country at all public places including workplaces, Metro stations, railways stations, schools and colleges, to name a few,” the petition says.

It adds that a sizeable percentage of the country’s population is made up of day labourers who use public transport and live in unhygienic conditions without adequate sanitation — circumstances that can facilitate the spread of the virus.