GUWAHATI, June 24: Gauhati High Court has directed the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Kamrup Metropolitan district, to identify families in the slum areas who need assistance in form of food grain and other essentials in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The development came after a plea raising concern that the daily wage workers residing in the Harijan Colonies in Kamrup (Metro) district were not provided with food grain and other supplies in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Let the secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Kamrup (Metro) deploy its para-legal volunteers to the slum areas and the areas where sections of marginalised families and other such families can be identified who need assistance in the form of food grain and other material in this period of COVID-19 pandemic,” a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak, ordered.
“The secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Kamrup (Metro) through its para-legal volunteers shall identify such families who need help in the present Covid-19 pandemic and inform the deputy commissioner, Kamrup (Metro), who shall after confirmation ensure that such families be given help immediately, in form of food and other day-to-day support promptly,” the order stated.
After hearing the counsel for the petitioner and the Advocate General of Assam, the High Court granted two weeks’ time to the state for filing its reply in the matter.
The case has been listed for hearing on July 13.