The Supreme Court today took Suo Motu cognizance of news reports of 35 children in a shelter Home in Roypuram, Chennai who tested positive for COVID 19.
The bench comprising Justice L. Nageswara Rao, Justice Krishna Murari and Justice S. Ravindra Bhat has directed the State of Tamil Nadu to file a status report on the issue of spread of COVID in the shelter homes and the steps taken for safeguarding the health of the remaining children.
The bench while hearing the suo motu writ petition titled Re: Contagion of Covid-19 Virus in Child Protection Homes questioned the state “35 children have been detected with COVID in the shelter home in Tamil Nadu. We want to know what steps have been taken in this regard by the State of Tamilnadu. We’ve been told its because of the Warden was COVID positive”.
The bench also said that Justice Ravindra Bhat had prepared a chart for the said purpose to look into this issue in the suo motu writ petition.
SG Tushar Mehta submitted, “If we get the format, we’ll ensure the same is accounted for within time as well.”
The Bench thereafter said, “We are circulating a format (questionnaire) which is to be communicated to the State Government. The Juvenile Justice Committees of the HC’s will also be supplied with this. Juvenile Justice Committees to ensure that the State Governments provide the information that is sought for.”
The bench has list the matter for next hearing on June 15.
Read the Order Here;
10820-2020-36-2-22519-Order-11-Jun-2020