PIL seeking door-to-door vaccine services for senior citizens, specially-abled moved before Bombay HC

Mumbai A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay high court (HC), seeking directions to the Centre, state and civic authorities to provide door-to-door vaccination facilities for citizens above the age of 75 and specially-abled persons who are not able to go for the jab owing to age or lack of technological acumen to book a slot for themselves to get vaccinated

Mumbai A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay high court (HC), seeking directions to the Centre, state and civic authorities to provide door-to-door vaccination facilities for citizens above the age of 75 and specially-abled persons who are not able to go for the jab owing to age or lack of technological acumen to book a slot for themselves to get vaccinated. The PIL filed is expected to be mentioned on Monday before HC for urgent hearing.

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The litigation filed by advocates Dhruti Kapadia and Kunal Tiwari states that they approached HC after they discovered that the state government in its response to the civic body’s letter on starting door-to-door vaccine drive had refused permission on the grounds that there was no policy for initiating such a facility.

“Facilitating such groups of people who need vaccine should be the responsibility of the respondent authorities. If they are unable to provide every citizen who are of advanced age and not in a position to go to the centres a vaccine, then they are violating such people’s right to life and good health under Article 21 of the Constitution,” the petition states.

The PIL further goes on say, “There are specially-abled citizens across the country who are eligible for the vaccination but are unable to visit the Covid-19 centres due to their disability. If the door-to-door vaccination facility is made available to them, then they will get vaccinated in time without causing further health disaster.”

Suggesting that a charge of around ₹500 could be fixed as home visit charges, the PIL also seeks directions to allow vaccination without Aadhaar /PAN cards and setting up of a helpline number for advanced age senior citizens to book an appointment for home visit of a doctor for Covid-19 vaccine.

“Some senior citizens do not even know how to register online and are unable to book appointments independently. Some citizens who are medically sick and do not have Aadhaar or PAN cards and are unable to register and book appointments, due to which they are unable to get vaccinated,” the PIL states.

The PIL points to the fact that after some senior citizens faced problems at vaccination centres like waiting in long queues for four-five hours for their turn to get vaccinated, the petitioners had raised concerns before local public representatives.

The petition is likely to come up for hearing next week.