PIL seeks more Covid duties for corporators, HC seeks BMC’s reply

The Bombay high court has taken on record a list of suggestions by a petitioner in public interest litigation (PIL) and directed the BMC to respond to the same by

The Bombay high court has taken on record a list of suggestions by a petitioner in public interest litigation (PIL) and directed the BMC to respond to the same by Tuesday. The PIL was filed with the grievance that a private hospital had refused to admit a Covid-infected police constable as he was unable to deposit the huge amount demanded by the hospital and hence, there should be a cap on the charges.

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One of the suggestions seeks to assign more duties to the corporator of each ward in the city in the fight against the Covid-19 outbreak. The petitioner has contended that as corporators have not been assigned any specific duty or responsibility for his/her ward, and the ward officer is singlehandedly entrusted with the job of combating the outbreak. The involvement of the corporator would not only aid the ward officer, but also ensure that problems faced by Covid and non-Covid patients are addressed expeditiously.

According to advocate Varsha Jagdale after the PIL was heard she was approached by many persons who wanted to join the petition, she however refused and asked them to share their inputs which they wished to be addressed through the PIL. She said that after receiving the same she made a list of suggestions and submitted them before the HC bench headed by chief justice Dipankar Datta. The bench accepted the suggestions and directed the BMC to respond to the same.

The suggestions include providing PPE kits to all frontline workers as it has come to light that some health workers refuse to join duty fearing their safety. Another suggestion is to provide treatment on a priority basis to cops and health workers infected with Covid-19 infection and to permit all private clinics, small hospitals and nursing homes to start functioning.

The suggestion to assign duties and responsibilities to corporators of each ward include monitoring and facilitating arrangements for Covid-19 patients and ensure implementation of government guidelines and norms in his/her respective ward. The corporator may also be assigned the responsibility to arrange for essentials services like groceries, medicines, etc in their respective wards and to provide information of Covid-19 hospitals and availability of beds therein through display boards in their wards.

Jagdale said, the suggestions regarding corporators were made to relieve the burden on government and civic staff involved in the battle against the Covid outbreak and, if implemented, will go a long way in combating the spread of the disease.