SC gives more time to states to tell steps taken for providing essentials to elderly people during Covid-19

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered all the states to inform about the steps taken to ensure all elderly people, eligible for pension, should be regularly paid the amount, and given necessary medicines, masks, sanitisers and other essential goods during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and M R Shah said let all the states, including those, which have already filed their response, file their affidavits bringing on record the material and the steps taken by them.

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Former Law Minister and Congress MP Ashwani Kumar said states should have filed better affidavits, as they did not detail the steps to monitor the situation.

The court, which noted all states have not yet filed their response, granted them four weeks time for the purpose.

The court had earlier on August 4 directed that elderly people should be given priority in admission in the government hospitals, looking to their vulnerability for Covid 19.

"In event of any complaint made by the elderly people, the hospital administration concerned shall take immediate steps to address their grievances," it ordered.

Kumar contended that the older people, living alone, are the worst sufferers in Covid-19 crisis, as they are not able to get medicines, masks, sanitisers and other essential goods. The caregivers of these people are untrained and are also not equipped with personal protection equipment.