COVID-19: HC seeks status report from DLSA on need to continue hunger relief camps

The Delhi High Court has directed Delhi Legal Service Authority (DLSA) to file a status report indicating as to whether there is any need to continue the hunger relief camps, being run by the Delhi government amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

A division bench of Justices Hima Kohli and S Prasad was on Monday hearing a petition filed by Delhi Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan seeking to resume the scheme of providing dry ration under the Mukhya Mantri Corona Sahayta Yojna or any other scheme.

The bench directed the Member Secretary, Delhi Legal Service Authority (DLSA) to examine the pleadings in the application and conduct an independent recce before filing a status report keeping in mind the current situation.

It said that the status report shall indicate as to whether there is any need to continue with the hunger relief camps, to continue providing dry ration to the non-PDS (public distribution system) beneficiaries as also providing cooked food to those who are using night shelters provided by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB).

Senior Advocate Sanjay Parikh, appearing for the petitioners, stated that in the common rejoinder filed in response to the two affidavits filed by the Delhi government, it has been specifically stated that there is still a requirement for the provision of free cooked meals to hunger relief centres.

Parikh submitted that it also said that there is a need for providing ration to non-PDS beneficiaries and for providing cooked food to those who are staying at night shelters.

The plea had sought to continue operating kiosks or helpdesks for facilitating the applicants and needy for receiving the benefit of dry ration and to ensure the resumption of hunger relief centres for providing hot cooked meals.

( With inputs from ANI )