Issue norms for disposal of used masks: HC tells govt

October 21, 2020

The High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to immediately issue a protocol with guidelines to dispose of used masks and PPE kits for the benefit of households.
The court also directed the government to fix a price for the transportation of oxygen cylinders.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar, while hearing a batch of petitions, said the issue of disposal of masks and PPE kits was of great importance.

In a city like Bengaluru, with a population of around 1.3 crore, lakhs of people use masks every day, the bench said.
The court directed the government to issue guidelines and give wide publicity. Observing that used masks and PPE kits were biomedical waste, the court directed BBMP to provide necessary training to pourakarmikas in this regard.
The bench directed the government to immediately notify the transportation charges for supply of oxygen cylinders to Covid-19 hospitals.
The state has been asked to comply with the orders on or before October 24.
The court said that the failure of the government to fix a price cap on transportation is resulting in patients shelling out more money for oxygen.
The government submitted that the price has been fixed at Rs 15.22 per cubic meter for Liquid Medical Oxygen and Rs 25.71 per cubic meter for Oxygen Inhalation in cylinder, as per the norms of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority.

The counsel appearing for one of the petitioners said suppliers were charging varied prices for transportation.
The Union government submitted that the N-95 masks were available at all Jan Aushadhi medical stores at Rs 25 per mask.
When the bench enquired whether it is available at all stores, the counsel for the Union government answered in the affirmative, saying one such centre is at the City Civil Courts Complex in Bengaluru.
The counsel for the PIL petitioners, seeking directions to fix the price for N-95 masks, said that a mask called ‘pollution control mask’ was available at Jan Aushadhi stores at Rs 60.
The bench directed the registrar of City Civil Courts to submit a report in this regard.