Providing adequate ration to Rohingya refugees during COVID-19 lockdown: AAP govt to HC

The AAP government has told the Delhi High Court that adequate ration was being provided to Rohingya families at three camps in south and north east parts of the city during the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

The submission was made by the Delhi government before a bench of Justices Manmohan and Sanjeev Narula, which was hearing a plea seeking immediate relief for the Rohingya families at settlements in Khajuri Khas in north east Delhi and Shram Vihar and Madanpur Khadar in south Delhi.

Delhi government additional standing counsel Sanjoy Ghose and advocate Urvi Mohan also told the court that four hunger centres were being run near the settlements mentioned in the plea.

The petitioner, Fazal Abdali, claimed that the Rohingyas at these three camps were being denied relief under the various schemes announced by the Delhi government to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

The bench, however, noted that the petitioner had not given any specific particulars of the neglect faced by these families and had only made general allegations in the representations sent to authorities.

The court further said that a similar matter was pending in the Supreme Court on whose orders nodal officers have been appointed to address the grievances of those needing help and therefore, the petitioner ought to have first approached the nodal officers.

The bench also said that as a similar matter was pending in the apex court it would not be appropriate to entertain the plea and disposed it of with a direction to the petitioner to approach the nodal officers or revenue magistrate with precise allegations and particulars.

The court said the petitioner will have to inform the nodal officer about the name and address of the refugee who has been denied medical attention, water or ration.

The bench also directed the nodal officers to dispose of such representations, if any are made, within three days by a "speaking order".