COVID19: SC refuses to entertain PIL demanding protective gear for sanitation workers

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 15

Taking strong exception to sweeping statements made by counsel for an activist, the Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain his PIL seeking personal protective equipment for sanitation workers across India.

As advocate Mehmood Pracha alleged that sanitation workers were dying across India due to COVID-19, a Bench headed by Justice NV Ramana asked him not to make “sweeping statements”.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Bench that aggrieved sanitation workers could use the helpline number and their concerns would be addressed.

Refusing to pass any orders on the PIL filed by social activist and former Delhi Commission for Safai Karamcharis Chairman Harnam Singh, the Bench asked him to approach the Delhi High Court.

Besides personal protective equipment, Singh had also demanded that COVID-19 testing facilities should be made available to sanitation workers and their immediate family members.

As per March 24 guidelines issued by the  Ministry  of  Health and Family Welfare, such equipment include  sterile medical/Nitrile gloves, starch apparels, medical  masks, goggles, face shield, respirators (i.e. N-95 Respirator Mask or Triple Layer Medical Mask or equivalent), shoe covers, head covers and coveralls/gowns. The petitioner said these equipment should be given to sanitation workers.

The PIL sought to highlight that safai karamcharis/sanitation workers are at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19 as they were providing essential services during the nationwide lockdown due to the pandemic.

Last week, the Supreme Court had directed the government to ensure availability of appropriate personal protective equipment for all doctors, nurses and other health workers actively attending to COVID-19 patients in metro cities, tier-2 and tier-3 cities across India.