Now, Masks, Sanitisers Are Essential Articles In Tamil Nadu

Fifteen medical items, including face masks and hand sanitisers, have been declared as essential items by the Tamil Nadu government. It has fixed the maximum retail prices for them under the Tamil Nadu Essential Articles Control and Requisitioning Act reported by The New Indian Express.

In a notification published in the Tamil Nadu Gazette on June 4, the director of Drugs Control informed the government that in order to ensure the availability of these items during the COVID-19 pandemic at reasonable prices to the common man, it is necessary to declare them as essential articles and fix their maximum retail price.

The items that have been declared as essential items include:

• Hand sanitiser (200ml - ₹110)
• N95 mask (per unit) - ₹ 22
• Surgical mask - 2ply (per piece) - ₹ 3
• Surgical mask - 3ply (per piece) - ₹ 4
• Surgical mask - 3ply with a layer of melt-blown non-woven fabric (per piece) - ₹ 4.50
• PPE Kits (per unit) - ₹273
• Disposal Apron (per unit) - ₹12
• Surgical Gown (per unit) - ₹ 65
• Sterile Gloves (per unit) - ₹15
• Examination gloves (per unit) - ₹.5.75
• Non-rebreather mask (per unit) - ₹ 80
• Oxygen mask (per unit) - ₹ 54
• Flowmeter with humidifier (per unit) - ₹1,520
• Fingertip Pulse Oximeter (per unit) - ₹1,500
• Face Shield (per unit) - ₹ 21

On March 13 last year, the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry had declared face masks and hand sanitisers as essential commodities for 100 days to boost supply and prevent hoarding of these items in its fight to check the spread of coronavirus.

Also Read: Bengaluru Activist Makes Eco-Friendly Masks That Grow Into Plants Once Sown After Use