India’s Supreme Court has ordered the Federal Government to ban within a month the use of spraying of chemical disinfectants to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
The court directed the government to ban the use of disinfectant tunnels, fumigation, sprays and ultraviolet (UV) rays on human beings as part of containing the spread of the pandemic.
The direction came in response to public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a complete ban on usage, productions, advertisement and installation of the sanitisation tunnels.
After the outbreak of COVID-19, health officials resorted to spraying disinfectants to contain it; besides setting up tunnels involve spraying of disinfectants on people who pass through them.
On September 7, the Supreme Court had asked the Federal Government why it has not banned the use of tunnels for disinfecting people for COVID-19.
It stressed that the court was on the stand that spraying of chemical disinfectants was physically and psychologically harmful.
India’s Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had earlier informed the court that federal health ministry has not issued any advisory or guideline on the use of ultraviolet lights for disinfecting of humans for COVID-19 management.
The government said an expert committee has stated spraying of individuals with disinfectants (such as tunnels, cabinets, chambers) was not recommended as it would not diminish the infected person’s ability to spread the virus through droplets or contact.