Centre, Delhi govt doing its best to provide ration to migrants at relief camps: Delhi HC

Delhi High Court while hearing a petition on supply of food to migrant labourers at relief camps observed that Centre and Delhi government were doing 'ir best' to provide ration and essential items during se taxing times and amid multiple restrictions posed by COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. 

A Division Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad heard  petition, filed by National Campaign Committee for Eradication of Bonded Labour India News Communication Ltd, which sought better supply of food and dry ration to migrants and daily w labours at relief camps in capital city.

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petitioners stated that re had been several instances where daily w workers stranded at relief camps had gone hungry revealing that in order to maintain social distancing, only some members of larger migrant labourer families went to collect food from distribution centres located 1 to 1.25 km away. y revealed that re had been numerous occasions where members of such families who were unable to go to centres, were denied food packets.

After hearing arguments, court said, "re are limitations on resources available to government of NCT of Delhi and given warlike situation existing on ground, extraordinary efforts being made by all ncies both, at Centre and State, must be ackwledged."

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Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sanjay Jain, representing Delhi government agreed to Court's suggestion that dal officers for said camps shall be appointed and ir names and mobile numbers for each of aforesaid clusters shall be conveyed to counsel for petitioner. Following this, court disposed of petition saying that furr order is required as Delhi government has agreed to share names and mobile numbers of appointed dal officers.

As per Delhi government, about 3.54 crore units of cooked meals have been provided to needy people as on April 20. government said that 1,846 and 400 hunger relief centres have been set up by GNCTD and government in collaboration with various NGOs respectively at several places in Delhi. It said that it has decided that over one crore people who have been adversely hit by lockdown will be given free ration. 

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(With ncy Inputs)