Officers to get in touch with riot victims to ensure basic needs, Delhi govt informs HC

The Delhi government Monday informed the Delhi High Court that its officers were going to get in touch with the 275 families of the victims, who were displaced after the northeast Delhi riots, to ascertain whether they require food or medicines.

A bench of justices Sanjeev Sachdeva and Navin Chawla was also informed by the AAP government’s counsel that mohalla clinics of the northeast district are functional and representatives of each of the families will be provided with the details of nodal officers who can be contacted in case of requirement of medical assistance.

The court, which conducted the proceeding through video conferencing in view of restrictions due to coronavirus, was hearing a plea by Shaikh Mujtaba Farooq seeking direction to the authorities to re-open the relief camp at Idgah in Mustafabad and provide proper food supplies, adequate water, sanitation and security to the victims.

Delhi government standing counsel Rahul Mehra submitted that keeping in view the present situation and also the directions with regard to lockdown issued by the central government, the officers shall get in touch with the representatives of each of the 275 families.

He said their names and telephone numbers have been provided by the petitioner along with the additional affidavit, and ascertain the number of family members and whether they require assistance of food or medicines or curfew pass.

He said that as per their needs, the families will be provided with food packets and medical kits containing over the counter medicines for basic ailments can also be provided to them as per their requirement.

Mehra added that in case any of the families require accommodation, efforts shall be made to immediately place them in appropriate accommodation or relief camps.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the petitioner apprised the court about the issues faced by the riot victims. He submitted that they were initially staying at a camp set up at Idgah but the Delhi government has cleared the camp and the victims have been forced to relocate themselves.

He added that while some of them had to go back to their houses, others have had to accommodate themselves with their relatives and due to the lockdown they are facing severe problems with regard to food and medical help.

To this, Mehra stated that the families which were staying at the camp at Idgah had voluntarily left the camp and were not removed by the police or the government and that now the camp has been removed.

The court said, “Without getting into the controversy as to whether the families of the riot victims which were living at the camp at Idgah vacated the camp voluntarily or they were forced to vacate, the fact of the matter is that they are no longer there at the camp at Idgah.”

The court listed the matter for April 3 for directions or reporting compliance of its order.

The court, on March 27, had directed the AAP government to ensure that the riot victims, who may be homeless at the moment, were provided with food and accommodation either at the community centres or night shelters.

It had also asked the government to ensure the provision of food, water and medical aid to such individuals.

In February, clashes broke out in northeast Delhi between the groups supporting and opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.