Delhi HC agrees to hear plea seeking evacuation of citizens stranded in New York

Delhi High Court on Monday agreed to hear a petition seeking directions to the Central government to organise a special flight to evacuate those in distress in New York amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

A Bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Sanjeev Narula slated the matter for hearing on Tuesday after advocate Vibha Datta Makhija, senior counsel for petitioners prayed for some time to serve an advance copy of the writ petition to the standing counsel of the Centre as well as the Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs.

The petition was filed by the parents of an Indian citizen stranded in New York.

The plea sought directions to the Union of India to organise a special flight out of New York city in view of the Indian air-space lockdown for commercial flights, to evacuate safely the Indian citizens in distress, and more particularly, Yasmin Tahiira Hussain (daughter of petitioner), to New Delhi at the earliest.

It also sought directions to the authorities concerned to assist Indian citizens in distress, and more particularly, Hussain to remain safe and fully provided for their daily needs till such time a special flight is arranged to evacuate her to New Delhi.

The plea submitted that in March 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease as a pandemic, due to the speed and scale of transmission.

It is also submitted that young Indians working in different foreign jurisdictions under temporary work visas are also in the highly vulnerable category of Indian citizens who have no resources to turn to, and now are facing acute economic, physical and emotional distress.

The daughter of the petitioners is making all efforts to find suitable employment in the USA, and is intentioned to do so even in the near future, but in the current situation of uncertainty, it is difficult for her to stay alone in a foreign territory, the petition said.