Mumbai HC mulls special masks for disabled

Plea calls for transparency in use and collection of fines from protocol violators

The Bombay High Court recently remarked that with the coronavirus pandemic here to stay, how will those with hearing and speech disability be recognised with their masks. On March 24, a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G.S. Kulkarni was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by Lokshahivadi Balasaheb Sarode Smruti Prabodhan Upakram in Pune through advocate Ajinkya Udane. The petition said since wearing masks had been made mandatory and fines were being imposed on those violating the order, “the PIL requests for a uniformity of fines, accountability and transparency in the use of such collected funds”. The petitioners also sought that the government provide masks free of cost to those who cannot afford to buy them and said, “the huge amounts collected by [way of fines] shall be utilised in providing stickers for the deaf and mute people on their masks so to help them in better communication and identification”.