The Bombay High Court asked Maharashtra’s municipal corporations and local bodies in mid-June order to distribute and manufacture special masks for people with hearing disabilities.
Lokshahiwadi Balasaheb Sarode Smriti Prabodhan Upakram filed a PIL which was heard by a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G.S. Kulkarni, which said: “there should be some sort of identification mark in the form of a sticker to enable easy identification to masks worn by specially-abled persons.”
Advocates Ajinkya Udane and Asim Sarode suggested that masks worn by especially abled persons should have some sort of identification mark in the form of a sticker to enable easy identification.
A sample mask was placed before the court by Suryavanshi, Advocate for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation which was manufactured and designed, keeping in mind the needs of people who are some sort of have hearing disabilities.
The learned AGP, Samant, appearing for the state as well as Suryavanshi, informed the court that the manufacture and design of the sample mask have been approved by Ali Yavar Jung National Institute of Speech and Hearing Disabilities (Divyangjan).
The court said that
“Having heard learned counsel for the parties and upon looking at the sample mask, we are of the view that the sign which is printed on one side of the mask to cover the face should also be printed on the other side, so as to make it clearly visible to the persons facing the person who is wearing the mask or else the purpose of such special mask could be defeated.
“We encourage the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai as well as all other Municipal Corporations and local bodies to have such masks manufactured and distributed among the people suffering from hearing disability.”
On May 4, 2021, the court inquired whether the State could make a mask distribution drive for the poor and homeless.
OTHER PRAYER BEFORE COURT
There was a second concern of the petitioner, which dealt with the matter of penalizing people who do not wear masks. On this, the court held; “At this stage no direction is necessary, for, we are confident that people in their best interests would wear masks and those who do not shall be dealt with by the authorities appropriately.”
The Court concluded that “In the meantime, steps shall be taken in accordance with the guidelines that have been issued by the Central Pollution Control Board for “Handling biomedical waste generated during the treatment of Covid-19” and the offenders thereof shall be dealt with in accordance with the law.”
It also suggested modifications in the design of the sample mask approved by Ali Yavar Jung National Institute of Speech and Hearing Disabilities (Divyangjan) in Mumbai while asking the state to procure such masks.
Additional Government Pleader Bhupesh Samant, appearing for the state, told HC that the design of the sample mask has been approved by Ali Yavar Jung national institute in Mumbai and was tested on over 100 specially-abled persons.
