Efforts underway to provide food, accommodation to riot victims: Delhi govt tells HC

The AAP government on Monday informed the Delhi High Court that officials are making all efforts to help the riot victims in the north-east district in the national capital by providing them food and medicine amid the nationwide lockdown.

Delhi government standing counsel Rahul Mehra submitted before the High Court that in case any of the families require accommodation, efforts will be made to immediately place them in the appropriate accommodation or relief camps.

Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the petitioner, said that the circumstances under which riots victims, who were living in a relief camp at Idgah, Mustafabad, and had to leave their respective houses, there is apprehension with regard to shifting them to the existing night shelters in and around their respective localities.

Advocate Rahul Mehra and Standing Counsel for East Delhi Municipal Corporation, Abhinav Aggarwal, submitted that the authorities shall coordinate between themselves and ensure that such families are not accommodated in the existing night shelters. He further said that the nodal officer shall also provide the contact details of an officer who could be contacted by anyone of these family members in case of any emergency and requirement of a curfew pass as per the existing norms.

"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 along with the additional affidavit, and ascertain the number of family members. The officers will also ascertain as to whether they require the assistance of food or medicines and accordingly provide food packets to them," Mehra said.He said that medical kits containing over the counter medicines for basic ailments can be provided to each of the families as per their requirement.The court was hearing a petition was filed by Shaikh Mujtaba Farooq who was represented by Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves along with lawyers Sneha Mukarjee and Nabila Hasan.

The petitioner has sought to re-open the relief camp at Idgah, Mustafabad, for victims of violence in the national capital and to provide proper food supplies, sanitation, cleaning of toilets, adequate water and security.

A Division Bench of Justices Sanjeev Sachdeva and Navin Chawla, who conducted the hearing through video conferencing, listed the matter for further hearing on April 3.