A human rights activist, Suhas Chakma on Monday filed a PIL in the Supreme Court seeking the Court's directive to provide protective gears and “risks and hardship allowance” to all medical and non-medical professionals fighting the COVID-19, at par with the army and the Central armed forces posted in Jammu Kashmir, Northeast and the Left Wing Extremist affected areas.
Chakma, who heads the Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) said these medical professionals have been working in war-like situations to save the people and guests (foreigners) of this nation.
"Medical professional and non-medical professionals such as the troops of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police quarantine centre at Chhawla area of south-west Delhi or ward care-takers have been on the frontline to treat COVID-19 patients at great personal risks to themselves and their families," said the petition.
He stated that the Centre was providing “risks and hardship allowance” to the army and the Central Armed Police Forces serving in Jammu Kashmir, North Eastern states and the Left Wing Extremist Affected Areas. On 22 February 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Union of India revised the risk and hardship allowance for the Central Armed Police Forces from Rs 9,700 to Rs 17,300 per month for troops up to the rank of Inspector and from Rs 16,900 to Rs 25,000 for officers. The Ministry of Defence also revised the risk and hardship allowance for the Indian Army in 2019.
“While it is duty of the army and the Central Armed Police Forces to defend the country, it is also duty of the medical professionals and non-medical personnel to treat COVID-19 patients in the designated areas. As extraordinary situations require extraordinary measures, the Union of India has been providing risks and hardship benefits to the Indian Army and the Central Armed Police Forces deployed in the designated areas. The work of the medical professionals and non-medical personnel treating COVID-19 patients is no less important than the army and the Central Armed Police Forces deployed in certain disturbed situations," the petitioner urged.
“The government has even failed to provide the basic protective gears to the medical professionals despite such request being made over a month ago after outbreak of the Coronavirus. Medical professionals are the first point of contact of the COVID-19, they are more vulnerable and being infected too” it said.
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