A petition moved before the Delhi High Court has sought directions to the municipal corporations and the city government to provide masks, protection kits and hazmat suits to its sanitation workers.
The petition filed by a union of municipal corporation staff said, “More than 80% sanitation workers are working in Delhi without personal protective gear”. It also claimed that one worker employed with South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) died due to COVID-19 in April.
The High Court is likely to hear the petition on Friday along with another similar petition which was filed previously on the issue.
Tests for workers
The earlier petition was filed by social activist Harnam Singh who has also sought testing of all sanitation workers and their immediate families for COVID-19.
In the petition filed by the All Municipal Corporation Staff Union, it was contended that sanitation workers and ragpickers are at risk of COVID-19 infection from handling unmarked medical waste emerging from homes where infected patients are quarantined and therefore, they need to be provided proper protection gear.
The plea said the workers be also instructed on disposal of their masks and gloves and that sanitisation cubicles be put up in each ward for the workers to sanitise themselves before going to their respective homes.