<p class="title">The High Court has pulled up the state government for not filing information on prices at which it procured N-95 masks, hand sanitisers and other equipment to tackle Covid. The bench granted time till August 31 to file an affidavit along with information regarding availability of N-95 masks and hand sanitizers in the state.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar had directed the Union and the state governments to file affidavit on the pricing of N-95 masks and hand sanitisers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Union government has filed an affidavit stating that N-95 masks and hand sanitisers were dropped from the list of essential commodities from July 1, in view of considerable increase in manufacturing. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The bench, however, took exception to the affidavit filed by the secretary to the department of Civil supplies and Consumer Affairs Manoj Kumar Meena.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It observed that the government had not even made an effort to ascertain whether N-95 masks and sanitisers are available in adequate quantities across the state.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“The question is whether these items are readily available in the market across the state at a reasonable price to the common man. Though sufficient time was granted to file a statement on the rates at which the state acquired masks and other items, even today the Additional Government Advocate seeks time to comply. We grant time to the state government till August 31 to file an affidavit on this behalf,’’ the bench said. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Meanwhile, the government has cited financial crunch and refused to enhance the relief of Rs 30 lakh to the families of people who die on Covid-19 duty.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The court had asked the government to consider the relief on a par with the central government insurance scheme (Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Scheme) of Rs 50 lakh, which is being given only to health workers. The affidavit said that the relief of Rs 30 lakh by the state government is given to all those involved in activities which are less intensive than that of health workers. </p>
<p class="title">The High Court has pulled up the state government for not filing information on prices at which it procured N-95 masks, hand sanitisers and other equipment to tackle Covid. The bench granted time till August 31 to file an affidavit along with information regarding availability of N-95 masks and hand sanitizers in the state.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar had directed the Union and the state governments to file affidavit on the pricing of N-95 masks and hand sanitisers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Union government has filed an affidavit stating that N-95 masks and hand sanitisers were dropped from the list of essential commodities from July 1, in view of considerable increase in manufacturing. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The bench, however, took exception to the affidavit filed by the secretary to the department of Civil supplies and Consumer Affairs Manoj Kumar Meena.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It observed that the government had not even made an effort to ascertain whether N-95 masks and sanitisers are available in adequate quantities across the state.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“The question is whether these items are readily available in the market across the state at a reasonable price to the common man. Though sufficient time was granted to file a statement on the rates at which the state acquired masks and other items, even today the Additional Government Advocate seeks time to comply. We grant time to the state government till August 31 to file an affidavit on this behalf,’’ the bench said. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Meanwhile, the government has cited financial crunch and refused to enhance the relief of Rs 30 lakh to the families of people who die on Covid-19 duty.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The court had asked the government to consider the relief on a par with the central government insurance scheme (Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Scheme) of Rs 50 lakh, which is being given only to health workers. The affidavit said that the relief of Rs 30 lakh by the state government is given to all those involved in activities which are less intensive than that of health workers. </p>
