Using global research on ventilation and airborne infection control for impacting public policy through the Indian Judiciary

Abstract

This paper aims to bring to light the need, with an example, for the intervention of the government agencies in developing regulations for ventilation in buildings to prevent airborne diseases. The authors have highlighted the missing areas in the current regulations in India and prepared a public interest litigation. This plea was filed in the Delhi High Court, and the court responded positively and instructed the authorities to treat the plea as a representation and work out solutions to the problem. In India, the right to a healthy environment has become a Fundamental Right under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. The petitioners, as researchers in the area themselves, send the message of immediate public intervention through their research, especially if it is an area of urgent attention. This piece is written to encourage researchers across the world to become active in making sure their research is put into action.