Hyderabad: High Court asks top official to ascertain impact of Coronavirus, lockdown on disabled persons

Hyderabad: Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan headed High Court Bench on Wednesday asked Principal Secretary Divya, Principal Secretary (Women, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizens Department) to find out the impact of Covid and the lockdown on the physiology and psychology differently-abled persons The Bench said that since there may be a correlation between the physiology of a physically challenged person, and his/her immune system, the principal secretary is directed to find out, firstly, whether such a correlation exists or not?

Secondly, in case there is a correlation between two, whether efforts have been made by the State to strengthen the immune system of physically-challenged persons so that they can effectively resist coronavirus? Thirdly, she should inform the Court, if possible, the number of physically challenged persons, who may be affected by boronavirus, and those who may have died due to the virus.

The official informed the court that the Department has a corpus of Rs. 3.5O crore, out of which, Rs 2 crore has been distributed for looking after the needs of persons with a disability, she stated. The matter adjourned to August 6.

PIL seeking financial support for pvt drivers dismissed

The High Court on Wednesday heard the PIL filed by Advocate Rapolu Bhaskar seeking a direction to the State government to pay Rs 15,000 as financial assistance to the private drivers in the State as they are facing difficulties in meeting day today expenditures due to the lockdown and after the lockdown and more particularly in the pandemic situation of Covid-19.

The High Court Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Bollam Vijaysen Reddy dismissed the PIL stating that the Court does not find any merits in the PIL and hereby dismissed.