PIL in Delhi HC seeks guidelines on COVID-19 testing of homeless people with mental health challenges

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court asked the Centre and the AAP government on Thursday to reply to a PIL seeking directions to them to issue guidelines for COVID-19 testing of homeless people with a mental illness in the National Capital. A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued notice to them seeking their stand on the plea by a lawyer alleging a “casual approach” on the part of the Delhi government, particularly its Chief Secretary, while dealing with issues of health of homeless people with mental health challenges. [caption id=“attachment_8517461” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Representational image. AP[/caption] The court listed the matter for further hearing on 9 July. Advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal claimed in his petition that the Delhi government has not taken seriously the lack of guidelines with respect to COVID-19 testing of mentally ill homeless persons. He said the high court had on 9 June directed it to address the grievances raised by him in another PIL with regard to mentally ill homeless persons in accordance with law, rules, regulations and government policy. He said that on 13 June he also sent a representation to the Chief Secretary of Delhi government for providing treatment to mentally ill homeless persons in the national capital who have no residence proof.