No safety gear: Health officer told to reply

MADURAI: Hearing allegations that sanitary workers in Madurai city are not being given adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed the Assistant City Health Officer (ACHO) of Madurai Corporation to give an explanation on June 1.

A Bench comprising Justices PN Prakash and B Pugalendhi gave the direction while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by an NGO - People's Watch - seeking distribution of PPE to non-medical front-line workers.

The judges perused the photographs submitted by the litigant's counsel which showed that front-line workers engaged in COVID-19 preventive measures in various districts, including Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Dharmapuri and Tiruchy, were working without wearing protective equipment like masks, hand gloves, gum boots, etc.

They suo-motu impleaded Madurai Corporation and directed the ACHO to explain the reason as to why the sanitary workers in Madurai were working without safety gear. The judges added that the allegations pertaining to other districts would be dealt with in subsequent hearings, and adjourned the case to June 1 for the ACHO's explanation.

Meanwhile, the State police submitted a report stating that sufficient PPE kits were available for distribution to police personnel deployed in COVID-19 preventive measures. 

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com