Food Security : SC Issues Notice On Plea For Establishing Community Kitchens In Country

The Supreme Court has asked the centre to file its reply to the petition seeking setting up of community kitchens pan-India, to eradicate hunger, malnutrition and starvation deaths prevalent in the country.

The petition filed by social activists Anun Dhawan, Ishann Dhawan and Kunjana Singh through Advocates Asima Mandla, Fuzail Ahmad Ayyubi and Mandakini Singh was listed for admission hearing before the bench comprising Justice N.V. Ramana and Justice Ajay Rastogi.

The petitioners relied on various census and statistical reports to assert that malnutrition and hunger were soaring at an alarming rate in the country, threatening the 'Right to Food' and inadvertently, the 'Right to Life', enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution. "…referring to the UN World Food Programme, UN WHO: Global Database on Child Growth and Malnutrition, 2006, UN Food and Agriculture Organization: SOFI 2006 Report, it has been reported that 7000 persons (including children) die of hunger every day and over 25 Lakh persons (including children) die of hunger, annually", the petition said.

In this regard, they sought directions to all States and Union Territories to formulate schemes for establishment of community kitchens. They have also prayed for directions to the Central Government to create a national food grid for persons who remain beyond the scope of the Public Distribution Schemes due to homelessness and non-issuance of cards requisite to avail government schemes and subsidies.

It has also been suggested by the Petitioners that these establishments could be set up in the form of Public Private Partnership (PPP) to effectively utilize funds under Corporate Social Responsibility as per Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013.

The plea proceeds setting out the success stories of various community kitchens established by certain states in India viz. Amma Unavagam in Tamil Nadu, Anna Canteen in Andhra Pradesh, Ahaar Centre in Odisha, etc. It also cites the example of "soup kitchens" in the U.S. and Europe that feed the poor by serving a limited menu of nutritious cooked food at below the market price.

The Petitioners also clarified that they did not seek replacement of any of the existing government schemes and rather anticipated these establishments as an added mechanism for provision of nutritious food.