The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the State government to file a comprehensive status report on the distribution of PPE to non-medical front line workers.
The State government informed a Division Bench of Justices P.N. Prakash and B. Pugalendhi that a sum of ₹350.29 crore was sanctioned for procurement of disinfectants, drones and the PPEs, and front line departments like health and the police had been sanctioned additional amounts of ₹149.79 crore and ₹6.5 crore for purchase of medical equipment and protective gear, respectively.
Taking into account the status report submitted by the State, the judges sought a comprehensive report on the distribution of PPEs to front line staff, particularly non-medical workers. The court asked as to how many kits were supplied and if it was ensured that non-medical front line workers were using them. The case was adjourned till May 27 for filing the report.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation petition filed by R. Sathiamoorthy, executive trustee of People’s Watch, who sought a direction to the State to provide PPE to non-medical front line workers, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The petitioner had said that non-medical front line workers like police personnel, fire services personnel, sanitary staff, revenue officials, ambulance staff, mediapersons, official and unofficial volunteers, were seen without PPE, except for masks.
