Ensure no one goes hungry during COVID-19 lockdown: PIL in HC

A plea has been moved in the Delhi High Court seeking directions to the AAP government to ensure no one goes hungry for want of food on technical ground like want of proper identity card during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The application by an NGO has also sought directions to the Delhi government to "continue providing mid-day meals (either in the form of cooked meals or equivalent quantities of dry rations or food allowance in lieu of cooked meals) in all government schools".

It has also sought a direction to the Delhi government to indicate on its food department's website a list of all ration shops in the national capital with their phone numbers, addresses and GPS location, list of ration card holders, real time stock position in the ration shops and record of sales made each day.

The application was filed in the pending petition moved by NGO Rozi Roti challenging the decision to link ration cards with Aadhaar.

In the main petition, the High Court has already issued notices to the Centre and the Delhi Government.

In its application, the NGO has said that the lockdown has led to sudden and large scale loss of livelihood in the informal sector and has "plunged lakhs of people into food insecurity and hunger".

The various food programs, under National Food Security Act, are the only lifeline for such people and therefore, it is crucial that such schemes work properly, it has said.