Hyderabad: PIL in High Court seeking health insurance for journalists reporting during Covid pandemic

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the State government while hearing a PIL seeking health insurance to the media persons.

The public interest litigation was moved in the Telangana High Court on Tuesday to provide medical insurance cover to media persons who are reporting in the Covid-19 pandemic in the State.

The counsel for the petitioner Macherla Rangaiah, informed the bench comprising Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice K.Lakshman, that media persons have been exempted from the lockdown by the government to disseminate information about Covid-19 accurately and timely to the people and they are working round the clock "without caring for their own safety".

The petition sought directions to the State government to "provide medical and/or life insurance cover to each journalist, reporters and all other media persons, whether contractual/ adhoc / permanent, of at least Rs 25000 each. Thus, welfare, safety and security of media persons also assume significance in this hour of crisis when cases of covid-19 are increasing day by day in the State, the petition said.

The counsel further sought a direction to the State government to provide free masks, medical kits etc to journalists.

The bench issued notices to the State government and directed the Advocate General to file a detailed counter-affidavit.

The matter has been adjourned for two weeks.