A petition has been filed before the Apex Court seeking immediate direction & or appropriate orders to recognise journalists as "front line warriors" & to lay down guidelines to give the necessary medical facilities to journalists.

The plea was filed by Dr Kota Neelima, researcher & Director of the Institute of perception studies.

The petitioner sought direction for free treatment of journalists in Govt hospitals & walk-in vaccinations during the COVID19 pandemic.

The petitioner also sought a direction to recognise all the journalists & media persons as "frontline warriors", so that they can avail the benefits being extended to all such workers.

She also sought to formulate a comprehensive guideline with respect to the medical facilities & related benefits for the COVID-19 pandemic to be extended to the journalists & media persons (accredited & non-accredited) to be implemented by all the States & the Union Territories in a uniform manner.

The plea said that "Free medical assistance to media persons covering COVID-19 is an urgent & immediate need. There have been over 455 journalist deaths reported, with 4 journalist deaths a day in April-May 2021 as per the latest data".

The Director of the Institute of Perception Studies, New Delhi, Dr Kota Neelima has approached the Supreme Court by filing this Intervention Application (IA) in the suo motu writ petition for urgent relief measures for journalists & also families of journalists who had died due to COVID-19.

The petition will be argued before the Supreme Court by senior advocate, Salman Khurshid & has been filed by Lubna Naaz, Advocate On Record (AoR).

The petition further sought relief of free treatment, compensatory support, walk-in registration, etc.

Most of the existing schemes of Central & State Govts do not address unaccredited journalists, technical, managerial, supervisory staff, freelancers, & stringers.

Highlighting the urgency of the petition, Dr Neelima stated, "Media is essential in the fight against COVID-19. People's right to information is served by journalists, which has helped in saving & protecting lives, & therefore supported the responsibilities of the state."

The plea quotes research by the Institute of Perception Studies, which states most journalist deaths had taken place among unaccredited journalists & in the age group of 41-50 years, hailing from predominantly non-metro areas of India.

The plea sought free medical facilities in Govt & private hospitals for journalists & their families infected with COVID-19 & reimbursement of their bills irrespective of their accreditation status or any other such divides during the pandemic.

The plea also requested the Supreme Court to direct Govts to provided compensatory support to the immediate families of deceased journalists in form of ex gratia and/or employment support as is applicable.

As per the research findings of the Institute on journalist deaths due to COVID-19 as on May 21, 2021, 253 verified & 93 unverified journalist deaths between April 2020 & May 2021 had taken place, the plea said.

It further said that 41 deaths per 10 days in April - May 19, 2021, 66 per cent (167) of the deaths occurred in Non-Metro regions, 54 per cent of journalists deaths are from Print Media across India, of 30 per cent journalist deaths are in the age group of 41-50 years which is the highest.

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