HC pulls up AAP govt over non-responsive food, disaster helpline numbers

The Delhi High Court on Thursday pulled up the AAP government over non-responsiveness of its food and disaster management helplines, setup during the coronavirus crisis, and directed that both numbers be made functional by the end of the day. A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad termed the helpline 1301 manned by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority a "disaster" as it could not be reached despite repeated calls made to it by both judges from their phones during the hearing held via video conferencing.

Even the food helpline number 1967, which was being manned by only six persons, could not be reached by them. The bench directed that the number of persons manning the food helpline be increased to two per district and the helpline number 1301 be also made functional by the end of the day.

"The respondent/State is cautioned that we propose to personally verify if both the aforesaid helplines are functioning, by making calls on a random basis," the bench said and further directed the Delhi government to put up on its website the number of complaints received on each number and time taken to redress each of them. It also directed the Delhi government to ensure all the ration shops remain open seven days a week to cater to the demands of the ration card holders "Food Inspectors of each district shall conduct regular inspections of the shops to ensure that they are operating strictly in terms of the directions issued by this court and the department," the bench said.

The bench noted that there were 54 lakh people who were not beneficiaries under the public distribution system (PDS) and of these 17 lakh have not received e-coupons for ration, and directed the Delhi government to meet the deficit "without any further loss of time". The bench further noted that most of the beneficiaries belong to the economically distressed section of the society and it would be a "serious challenge" for them to apply for e-coupons through the links provided by the Delhi government and in the absence of proper help desks "they would still end up running from pillar to post for generation of e-coupons, which is most unacceptable in the present situation".

It asked Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain and additional standing counsel Anuj Aggarwal, appearing for the Delhi government, whether help desks can be set up at the 588 non-PDS distribution centres. In response to the query, the government said needful shall be done within five working days.

The directions were issued during hearing of a plea by NGO Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan which has alleged non-supply of ration to many poor people during the lockdown. During the hearing, a point was raised that supply of grain to non-PDF beneficiaries is futile as they are in such a penurious condition that they do not have the money to take the grain to an 'atta chakki'/ mill for getting the same grounded into flour.

On this aspect, the bench directed the Delhi government to "ensure that adequate number of 'atta chakkies' are identified in each district where the non-PDS beneficiaries can go for getting the grain received grounded into flour, without making any payment". "A system shall be put into place within one week from today, by working out the logistics to ensure that charges raised by the atta chakkis for grinding the wheat, are borne by the State," the bench said.

With regard to distribution of emergency food relief coupons by MPs and MLAs, the court directed the Delhi government to identify locations where help desk shall be set up for streamlining the exercise. "The details of the locations identified, shall be uploaded on the website of the Delhi Government within five working days. The said information shall also be disseminated through print and electronic media, including by putting up the information on notice boards at all the 588 designated non-PDS distribution centres for the information of the concerned beneficiaries and to enable them to approach the Help desks in their areas," the high court said.

It gave the Commissioner, Food Supply, Govt. of NCT of Delhi two weeks to file an affidavit giving an update of the action taken pursuant to the directions issued by the bench and listed the matter for further hearing on June 11..