Delhi HC issues notice on PIL seeking welfare of children orphaned due to COVID-19

The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice to the Union of India, Government of NCT Delhi, Delhi Police and other government authorities on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking direction to provide interim custody of the children orphaned due to COVID-19 to their nearest relative or child care homes under their supervision and to protect the identity of such children so that they are not vulnerable.

The bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh sought responses from all the respondents in the matter and slated the matter for June 4 for a detailed hearing. The petitioner Jeetender Gupta, practicing lawyer of Delhi sought direction to the respondents to safeguard the interest of the children who have lost their parents to Covid-19 and who do not have anyone else to take care of them and face the risk of being trafficked.

The petition also sought direction to grant appropriate financial compensation to the family members of those citizens who have lost their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic after being denied access to the adequate health care infrastructure/facilities in terms of hospital admission, oxygen cylinders, injections, and medications.

The Plea stated that complete collapse of health care infrastructure in the National Capital Territory of Delhi during the second wave of Covid-19 in India, more specifically starting from April 2021, due to gross negligence and failure on the part of the Respondents i.e. Union of India as well as the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), has resulted in the untimely death of hundreds/ thousands of citizens. Various Benches of Delhi High Court are currently examining the batch of petitions related to COVID-19.