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Plea in Karnataka HC for free testing of COVID-19 suspects; free ration/ shelter for poor
A plea has been filed in Karnataka High Court, seeking various facilities to the residents in order to contain the spread of corona virus and sustain human life. The plea seeks for free tests facility for all the suspected patients of COVID-19 either in public or private labs and availability of adequate equipments and infrastructure facilities for healthcare workers, and for an arrangement of basic amenities such as food and shelter for the poor. The PIL has been filed by ‘Know Your Rights Association’ and is due for hearing on 30th march before the Chief Justice bench.
The plea highlights some facts. It seeks to raise the concern that the frontline workers, who are primarily exposed to the risk of infection have not been yet provided with adequate safety tools as recommended by the WHO. Secondly it highlights that since the pandemic has now become a global health emergency, arrangements must be made for free tests facility for all suspected patients in public as well as private labs. This will enable the poor to come forward and get themselves tested who might be suspects of COVID-19. Thirdly it brings light to the fact that people depending on mid –day meals, and those dependent for nutritious food on Anganwadi centres are helpless and are deprived of such facilities due to lockdown. The people depending on such centres are children, lactating and pregnant women from poor families. It also seeks that the State Government should take adequate steps and provide shelter to homeless, beggars and migrant workers. The petitioner also submitted that the inmates in jails, remand homes, and various other Government owned shelter homes are overcrowded wherein we have 15-20 or even more people in a single room. This increases the chances of contracting infection and needs adequate steps to be taken for social distancing. It also seeks for providing door to door facilities for ration.The plea also states that the middle class and those belonging to lower middle class are also suffering financial crisis due to lockdown. It has been prayed that an order needs to be passed for granting exemption as to payment of water bills, internet, electricity bills and waving of interest on monthly EMI for two months. Inter alia, the plea also highlights the issue of black marketing of personal hygiene equipments such as masks and sanitizers and urges to ensure their availability at reasonable prices.
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