A plea has been moved in the Delhi High Court asking for a ban/restraint on beggars and vagabonds from begging at traffic junctions and markets to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The court on Tuesday sought a response from the state government and the police on the issue.
The PIL has been filed by Narender Pal Singh, through advocates Bhagya Shree and Veerendra Kumar. The petition said this was keeping in mind the severity of the prevailing pandemic situation, where on April 22 the Supreme Court declared a “national health emergency situation”. As India’s daily new Covid-19 cases crossed the grim 3-lakh mark, amid desperate cries for oxygen in hospitals, the top court had, on its own, taken cognizance and declared a “national health emergency situation”.
The PIL claimed that this petition will benefit the public at large by keeping control on rampant Covid-19 infections, which are being easily conveyed by beggars, and vagabonds roaming of traffic junction. A mushrooming of beggars in view of the current pandemic in the NCT Delhi can spread the disease exponentially as they touch each and every vehicle.
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It is alleged in the petition that , “beggars at traffic light points and markets area are jeopardy as they neither wear mask nor maintain social distancing nor they have any care about hygiene and medication including vaccination.”Moreover, it would be for the benefit of beggars and vagabonds too. As the defendants and their governing body failed to take care of the present issue, thus it is humbly submitted that this court may kindly be pleased to pass the writ in the nature of mandamus or any other appropriate writ or order, to directing them to prepare a road map in order to restrain beggars and vagabond from begging on traffic junction,” the PIL reads.
A bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice to the Delhi government, the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, and the police, which is returnable on July 3, 2021.
Source: ILNS