Coronavirus: Plea in Delhi HC to provide protective kits to sanitation workers

A plea has been moved in the Delhi High Court seeking direction to the authorities to provide personal protective gear to sanitation workers who are carrying out their work during the coronavirus pandemic.

The plea, which is likely to come up for hearing on Friday, also sought direction to the authorities to carry out testing of all the sanitation workers and their immediate families for COVID-19.

Harnam Singh, a social activist, had first approached the Supreme Court which had given him the liberty to move the High Court if he has any specific case on the issue.

The apex court had disposed of his petition after taking into account the arguments of the Centre that sanitation workers in the country have been provided with requisite protective kits and the authorities are following the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) on the coronavirus pandemic.

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The plea, filed through advocate Mehmood Pracha, said in light of the apex court's order, the petitioner wrote to the administration of all states and union territories in the country and sought a response on the status of procurement and disbursement of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other safety equipment to sanitation workers.

“The petitioner also raised a concern with the authorities that the equipment was not being provided to sanitation workers as was mandatory as per the Supreme Court order, and further that any equipment being provided was sub-standard and inadequate in quantity,” the plea said.

The petitioner claimed that as the situation is worsening and sanitation workers left exposed to COVID-19 without adequate equipment, some of them have contracted the virus, exposing their families and communities to the infection.

It said that unlike doctors, who work in more controlled and sanitised environments, sanitation workers function in unhygienic conditions and run a higher risk of getting infected with the virus.

In the Supreme Court, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had said doctors, healthcare professionals and other "corona warriors" like sanitation workers have been provided requisite protective gear.