HC directs state to protect medical staff, look into migrants’ concerns

The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court (HC) has directed the state to provide adequate security arrangements for doctors, medical and paramedical staff involved

The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court (HC) has directed the state to provide adequate security arrangements for doctors, medical and paramedical staff involved in the testing and treatment of coronavirus-infected persons. The court also directed the collectors of all the districts to undertake a survey of migrant workers and provide data of facilities extended to them within two weeks.

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The order was passed in a suo moto public interest litigation (PIL), wherein the court took a note of media reports of medical staffers being threatened and abused, and not being allowed to enter their homes by their neighbours, owing to the fear that the staff would be carrying the virus and would infect the other residents in the premises.

Taking cognisance of the news reports of doctors, medical and paramedical staff facing opposition by their neighbours, the court accepted the submissions of the state which said that doctors, medical and paramedical staff involved in the battle against the Covid-19 outbreak would be adequately protected, and the local administration would be instructed to ensure sufficient security, not on a personal leave but in general, to ensure that such staff are not subjected to any such threats or demands for vacating their residential premises.

A single bench of justice Ravindra Ghuge was hearing the suo moto PIL, which was initiated after the court took note of news reports which stated that migrant labourers kept in temporary camps set up by local authorities were suffering due to lack of proper facilities. In its earlier order of April 8, the court had directed the state and local authorities to ensure that proper food, water, sanitisation, medical aid and other requirements of the migrants were taken care of.

On Wednesday, when the matter was heard on compliance, the court was informed that the principal seat of the HC at Mumbai was seized of a similar PIL and had issued directions to the local authorities to conduct a survey of migrants.

Justice Ghuge, while directing the court administration to add all district collectors in Aurangabad as a party, asked the collectors to conduct a survey as well as submit a report on the counselling of the migrants who were getting agitated and creating problems as they were unable to go back to their native homes owing to their travel restrictions.

The court posted the PIL for further hearing in the first week of May.