THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2024
A group of seafarers have approached the High Court of Bombay at Goa challenging the paid quarantine facility for the homecoming seafarers and additional quarantine period despite testing negative for COVID-19.
The petitioners, in the plea filed on Tuesday, raised objections on the two aspects while seeking the court’s intervention for relief.
The seafarers, petitioners said, are returning to Goa after having spent a quarantine period on board their vessels. “They are tested again and sent to institutional quarantine by the State government. Although they test negative, their quarantine continues. The employer company is forced to pay... in addition to this, the seafarers are later asked to undergo another 14 days home quarantine,” they said.
The petitioners have sought to do away with the paid quarantine and to also discard home quarantine, if the seafarer (who is tested negative) has spent institutional quarantine which should be free of cost.
The High Court has slated the matter for hearing on Wednesday.
