No front line worker must be ostracised and instead they must be encouraged to work without any restraint, observed the Bombay High Court on Friday, while turning down a petition seeking accommodation for such workers, who work in Mumbai but have to travel from other cities or districts.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Amjad Sayed was dealing with a PIL seeking accommodation for such essential workers in Mumbai. The petition claimed that these workers were the one of the major carriers of Covid-19 and because of them, districts or cities like Palghar, Vasai-Virar, Dombivali etc recorded a spurt in corona positive cases.
The plea was vehemently opposed by Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, the advocate general of Maharashtra, arguing that it was impossible to provide accommodation to such workers in Mumbai, who traveled from the neighboring cities.
Having heard the contentions, CJ Datta said, "The essential staffers, having an onerous responsibility of discharging most important public duties, are perceived as carriers of infection, who could easily spread it among others, by the petitioners. Their fears of exposure to COVID-19 have been allayed by the authorities by stating that the essential staffers have been made to follow and adhere to the precautionary measures."
The bench further said that these workers must be encouraged to continue with their work and not be discouraged by forcing them to live away from their families.
"We are also inclined to the view that even if some of such staffers might have unfortunately been infected by COVID-19, that is no ground to sort of ostracise them. The authorities have been actively engaged in formulating policies to tackle the pandemic and these essential staffers have been tirelessly working to implement the measures for the overall benefit of mankind.
