NEW DELHI: A plea claiming sale of sub-standard masks for protection against COVID-19 infection was heard on Thursday by the Delhi High Court which sought the Delhi government's stand on whether facial covers were being manufactured and sold in accordance with the rules and regulations.
The PIL sought setting up of a regulatory body for determining the standards for manufacture and sale of masks, used for protection against COVID-19 infection, in the national capital.
It also urged the court to direct the Delhi government to enforce the rules and regulations with regard to manufacture and sale of the masks.
The plea, which was listed before a bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh, was opposed by Delhi government standing counsel Santosh K Tripathi who told the court that the standards for manufacture and sale have already been laid down by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
The petitioner, an activist, contended that there was non-compliance of the rules and regulations with regard to manufacture and sale of masks.
After hearing both sides, the court sought the Delhi government's stand on the limited aspect of implementation of the rules, regulations and standards in connection with manufacture and sale of masks.
The court also asked the petitioner to point out the specific instances where there have been non-adherence to the rules, regulations and standards.
With the direction, the bench listed the matter for hearing on June 4.
The petitioner, Jai Dhar Gupta, has claimed that since the outbreak of COVID-19, wearing of fashionable masks matching a person's attire has become a trend.
However, most of these masks are single layered and offer negligible protection against COVID-19 infection, he has claimed in his plea.