Madras High Court seeks status report on vax drive among homeless mentally ill

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice PD Audikesavalu heard a Public Interest Litigation filed by an NGO seeking directions to the State government to identify the mentally ill people who are abandoned because of their condition.

The petitioner, who is running an NGO, argued that so many people with mental illness are wandering without any idea about COVID-19 and are not vaccinated yet.

The PIL further submitted that mentally ill and abandoned persons living on the streets are at high risk to contract the virus and sought directions to the government to vaccinate them and provide them with proper shelter.

“According to Article 21 of the Constitution, read with section 9 of the Mental Health Care Act, 2017, it is the fundamental right of every person with mental illness to live with dignity and privacy and in a safe and hygienic environment,” the petitioner mentioned.

After hearing the arguments, the first bench directed the TN Government to file a status report on the issue.

“A report should be filed indicating the total number of mentally ill persons who are not cared for in the State or who may be wandering and the extent to which such persons have been vaccinated. Such report is to be filed when the matter appears next, a week after the vacation,” the bench directed.

As the petitioner mentioned that the infrastructure and shelters for abandoned and mentally ill are in substandard condition, the court asked the state to provide proper infrastructure.

“A camp for abandoned people was started by the State Government in Melpakkam to eliminate beggary and to rehabilitate beggars under the Tamil Nadu Beggary Prevention Act XIII of 1945. The home was established in 1954 and is now highly dilapidated. The State should make every endeavour to renovate and restore it,” the court held.