A.P.Suriyaprakasam v. The Chief Secretaty
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED : 04.08.2020
CORAM
THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE M.M.SUNDRESH and THE HON'BLE MRS.JUSTICE R.HEMALATHA W.P.No.7442 of 2020 A.P.Suryaprakasam .. Petitioner Vs The Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, Secretariat, Fort St.George, Chennai 600 009.
.. Respondent Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue a writ of mandamus directing the sole respondent to immediately notify and announce Rupees Fifty Lakhs as Insurance Compensation in the event of Sanitary Inspectors, Solid Waste Management workers, Ambulance Drivers and their attendants and security guards, engaged by Government and local body directly or through contractors by contractual agreement death due to corona or any other virus infected and also bear their medical expenses fully during for their medical treatment and till they are declared as fit to join their services. The Government may also be directed to provide these unfortunate workers free rations and other essential till the Corona virus is totally destroyed from Tamil Nadu.
For Petitioner ..
Mr.M.L.Ravi For Respondents ..
Mr.G.K.Muthukumar, Spl. Government Pleader
ORDER
(Order of the Court was made by M.M.SUNDRESH, J.) Seeking a direction to the respondent to immediately notify and announce Rupees Fifty Lakhs as Insurance Compensation in the event of Sanitary Inspectors, Solid Waste Management workers, Ambulance Drivers and their attendants and security guards, engaged by Government and local body directly or through contractors by contractual agreement death due to corona or any
other virus infected and also bear their medical expenses fully during for their medical treatment and till they are declared as fit to join their services and for a direction to the Government to provide these unfortunate workers free rations and other essential till the Corona virus is totally destroyed from Tamil Nadu, the present writ petition has been filed. 2.Heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and the learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the respondent.
3.A status report has been filed by the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, wherein it has been stated as follows:
"2. It is humbly submitted that the present Writ Petition is squarely covered by the Central Government's "Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package: Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19" dated 28.03.2020. The said scheme provides an insurance cover of Rs.50 lakh for 90 days to public healthcare providers, including community health workers, who may have to be in direct contact and care of COVID-19 patients and who may be at risk of being impacted by this. The scheme was further extended to another 90 days from 26.06.2020.
3.It is submitted that the Scheme "Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package: Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19" of the Government of India have been widely publicised by the Project Director, Tamil Nadu Health System Project, Chennai to all the District Collectors and all the Heads of the Department under the Health and Family Welfare Department in the State so as to instill a sense of security, appreciation and inclusions among all Health Workers fighting against COVID-19.
4.It is submitted that Government have taken special care of all the frontline Health Workers fighting against COVID-19 and vigorous check mechanism is being made by the Government to ensure the safety of them."
4.In view of the same, nothing survives for consideration in this writ petition. However, the respondent is directed to give due intimation to all the District Collectors to make sure that all the Departmental Heads at the District level to send intimation of this provision to all the Government servants covered under the scheme so that they can get the benefit out of the same. Accordingly, the writ petition stands closed. No costs. -s/d- Assistant Registrar True Copy Sub-Assistant Registrar mmi/ssm To The Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, Secretariat, Fort St.George, Chennai 600 009.
+1 CC to Govt. Pleader sr 26251 W.P.No. 7442 of 2020 PA(CO) SP(24/08/2020)