PremiumNEW DELHI: The Supreme court on Thursday sought a status report and a reply from the Tamil Nadu government in the case of 35 children of a shelter home in Chennai testing positive for covid-19.
Taking a suo motu cognisance of the case, an apex court bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao said, "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 Tamil Nadu. We’ve been told it is because of the warden was covid positive."
The bench, also comprising Justices Krishna Murari and S. Ravindra Bhat, ordered the Tamil Nadu government to direct the state heath secretary to submit a status report on the issue of spread of covid-19 in the shelter home and the steps taken to safeguard the health of the others.
The case will be next heard on 15 June.
Taking note of the larger issue of safety of children living in shelter homes across the country amid the covid-19 pandemic, the top court has sought responses from all state governments.
"We are circulating a format (questionnaire) which is to be communicated to the state governments and the Juvenile Justice Committees of the HCs across the country. JJCs to ensure that the State Governments provide the info that is sought for," the bench added.
It will hear the case on keeping children safe from covid-19 in shelter homes across the country on 6 July.
