Infected frontline contractual workers covered under central insurance scheme: Centre to HC

The Central government on Friday informed the Bombay high court (HC) that only contractual frontline workers from the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) who

The Central government on Friday informed the Bombay high court (HC) that only contractual frontline workers from the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) who contracted Covid-19 as they were in direct contact with Covid-19 positive persons will be extended the benefits of the ₹50 lakh Central government insurance cover.

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NMMC submitted to the court that it would respond by Saturday regarding paying contractual workers ₹300 per day as allowance on a par with regular employees. The submissions were made while the cour was hearing a petition filed by a workers union, consisting more than 6,000 contractual workers, which complained that the workers cleaning the roads or collecting garbage were not being provided with safety equipment by the civic body.

The single bench of justice SJ Kathawalla while hearing the petition which also sought daily allowance of ₹300 and insurance to nearly 6,277 contractual essential services workers, including 3,261 in solid waste management across 92 locations. The plea further stated that about 693 workers were employed in the health department across four hospitals in Navi Mumbai and were involved in cleaning duty.

Advocate Bhavesh Parmar, along with Rahul Gaikwad and Nikita Abhyankar, appearing for the union submitted that the workers discharging essential services and reporting to work regularly are not being provided with any protective gear and hence are exposed to contracting the disease. The advocates cited instances of 24 contractual workers being quarantined after testing positive for the virus.

While responding to the demands, additional solicitor general Anil Singh informed the court that only those contractual frontline workers who succumbed to the virus would be covered by the insurance scheme. NMMC, however, sought time till Saturday to decide on paying the ₹300 daily risk allowance being paid to all government employees involved in the battle against Covid-19.