Will Provide Food and Medicines to Riot Affected Families Vacated From Idgah Camp:Delhi Govt Tells HC [Read Order]
In a petition highlighting the plight of riot affected families who had to leave the Idgah camp due to the COVID19 pandemic, the Delhi Government has assured the Delhi High Court that such families will be contacted and be provided with assistance. The said assurances were given through a hearing organised through video conferencing before the Division Bench of Justice...
In a petition highlighting the plight of riot affected families who had to leave the Idgah camp due to the COVID19 pandemic, the Delhi Government has assured the Delhi High Court that such families will be contacted and be provided with assistance.
The said assurances were given through a hearing organised through video conferencing before the Division Bench of Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Navin Chawla.
Highlighting the several issues concerning the victims of Delhi Riots, Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves submitted that these victims were initially staying at a camp set up at Idgah
but the Government has cleared the camp and they have been forced to relocate themselves.
'Some of them had to go back to their houses and some of them had to accommodate themselves with their relatives', Mr Gonsalves argued.
He further submitted that in view of the lockdown, riot affected victims are facing severe problems with regard to food and medical help.
Contrary to Mr Gonsalves' narrative, Mr Rahul Mehra, who was appearing for Delhi Government, informed the court that the families which were staying at the camp at Idgah had voluntarily left the camp and were not removed by the police or the government.
Considering the nationwide lockdown enforced by the Central Government, Mr Mehra assured the court that the officers shall get in touch with the representatives of each of the 275 families, whose names and telephone numbers have been
provided by the Petitioner, and ascertain the number of family members and whether they require assistance of food or medicines and accordingly provide food packets to them.
He further submitted that medical kits containing over the counter medicines for basic ailments can be provided to each of the families as per their requirement.
Since there were many rumours circling on the area regarding the shutting down of community clinics, Mr Mehra addressed this issue and informed the court that Mohalla Clinics of the North East District are functional and the representatives of each of the families shall be provided the details of the nodal officers who can be contacted by them in case of emergent requirement of any medical assistance.
On the issue of adequate housing or accommodation, Mr Mehra assured the court that in case any of the families require accommodation, efforts shall be made to immediately place them in appropriate accommodation/relief camps.
'The Nodal Officer shall also provide the contact details of an officer who could be contacted
by any one of these family members in case of any emergency and requirement of a curfew pass as per the existing norms', the Delhi Government submitted.
While addressing the concerns raised by Mr Gonsalves regarding the accommodation of these displaced families, Mr Abhinav Aggarwal, who was appearing for East Delhi Municipal Corporation, informed the court that these victims will not be accommodated in the existing night shelters.
The court will next take up the matter on April 3.
[Read Order]