Delhi HC disposes of PIL suggesting measures to prevent gatherings of migrant labourers

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) suggesting measures to prevent gatherings of migrant labourers at various relief and screening centers in the national capital amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown observing that the matter is being heard by Supreme Court on a pan-India basis.

"We see no reason to entertain the present petition when the Supreme Court is already seized of the matter on a pan India basis," a division bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad said, while disposing of the PIL.

As the court did not show any interest in the plea, petitioner counsel Jatan Singh sought permission to withdraw the petition while reserving the right to approach the Supreme Court for placing certain points by filing an appropriate application in the pending matter.

"The present petition is disposed of as not pressed, along with the pending application," the court said.

The PIL, moved by social activist Msh Singh through advocate Moni Chinmay, sought directions to the Delhi government to take better and effective measures to protect the interests of migrant labourers and the society at large amid the ongoing lockdown.

It said that the respondent has failed to set up any mechsm, due to which thousands of these labourers congregate at particular centers, and in the process, the entire system of social distancing is set at naught.

Social activist Msh Singh, in his plea, suggested a method by which these labourers do not assemble at one place, and said that the methodology could be a centralized interactive voice response system (IVRS) or a dedicated number for giving a missed call by these labourers.

"Upon receipt of a missed call, the system would generate a unique registration number for each labour which would be messaged to the said labour on his mobile and the said message would also contain the details of the center and time, where and when the said labour should visit and enroll and screen himself," the plea said.

"This would drastically reduce the number of footfall at a particular centre as also the inconvenience to these labourers who have to wait endlessly at various centers, most of the time without any luck," it added.

( With inputs from ANI )