The Supreme Court (Bench of Justice Dipak Misra and
Vikramajit Sen) on 1st November 2014 issued notice to all States and Central
Govt on a PIL titled as 'Pankaj Sinha vs Union of India' being Writ Petition
(Civil) No. 767/2014 under Article 32 of the Constitution of India.
This PIL is
aimed at eradicating leprosy from the country and for better facilities for the
leprosy patients. This PIL has drawn attention to the fact that an effective
cure, namely, Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) which has been available since 1981 that
can completely cure 99% of leprosy bacteria, due to apathy of the Government of
India and the State Governments, people are still suffering from the said
disease, which is treated as a social stigma. The PIL states that had people
been made aware by the competent authorities of the Central Government and the
State Governments, millions of people who are suffering from leprosy would have
been cured and come to the mainstream of life and would not have been
ostracized from the society. The petition further states that because of
non-concern, the leprosy affects more than one lakh twenty five thousand
persons yearly throughout the country, which is completely avoidable. They are
not allowed to have education, sanitary benefits, community based
rehabilitation as a result of which they are driven to streets and eventually
turn to begging or compelled to live in so-caled leprosy homes where they are
treated as unpersons or aliens.
The PIL has sought issuance of directions for
availability of the drugs at primary health centres and proper administration
of the same for treatment of the pregnant women suffering from leprosy in an
apposite manner with dignity, and making provision in educational institutions
whether government or private, so that discrimination against the children of
the leprosy affected families due to some kind of inhibition which has no
constitutional sanction, is stopped and for providing banking facilities and
establishment of such colonies where they can live for temporary period till
they are cured and come to the society, etc.
Click below for the Full Text of the Order.
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