Set up help desks for PDS beneficiaries: Delhi HC
New Delhi
New Delhi
The Delhi High Court on Thursday told the Delhi government to put a system in place within a week to ensure charges levied by atta chakkis (neighbourhood flour mills) for grinding wheat are borne by the state.
A bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad directed the government to ensure adequate number of mills are identified in each district where non-PDS beneficiaries can go grind wheat without paying.
The court said the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) 1301 helpline is a “disaster” that needs to be addressed immediately, while noting that they had tried the helpline numbers themselves but none could connect.
“The helpline shall be made functional by the end of this day. The state is cautioned that we propose to personally verify if both the helplines are functioning, by making calls on a random basis,” the court.
It said they had personally dialled the Food Helpline No ‘1967’ several times and requested asked the lawyers but no one could connect except ASG Jain. It directed the Delhi government to increase the number of persons manning the food helpline to two for each district.
The court was hearing pleas that contended people are not being able to get ration from fair price shops as they were closed. The petitions said due to the absence of any information in the public domain on the distribution of rations in terms of who all have availed of the stipulated quantity, there is no way to determine whether they have been provided to the intended persons or whether there has been any diversion.
On Thursday, the counsel for one of the petitioners said the supply of grain to non-PDF beneficiaries was futile as they do not have the money to take it to a local mill to grind it into flour.
The court directed the Delhi government to set up help desks at 588 non-PDS distribution centres within five days to assist beneficiaries, noting it would be a serious challenge for the economically distressed sections to apply for e-coupons at the links provided by the Delhi government for issuing ration.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sanjay Jain and additional standing counsel (Delhi government) said the helpdesks would be done within five days.
Appearing for NGO Delhi Rozi Roti Abhiyan Adhikaar, senior advocate Sanjay Parikh and advocate Prasanna S, told the court that the beneficiaries were facing a great deal of difficulty as they do not know who to approach and where to get these Emergency Food Relief coupons.
The court directed the Delhi government to issue an advisory to all MPs and MLAs to identify particular locations where help desks can be set up by them for streamlining distribution of the coupons within a specified timeline.
“The details of the locations identified, shall be uploaded on the website of the Delhi Government within five working days. The information shall be disseminated through print and electronic media, including by putting up information on notice boards at all 588 designated non-PDS centres for the information of the concerned beneficiaries and to enable them to approach the Help desks in their areas,” the court said in a seven-page order.
The court asked the commissioner, food supply, Delhi government to file an affidavit, updating the action taken within two weeks.
