The Kerala High Court has directed the Secretary of the Kozhikode Corporation and the District Administration to take care of any poor persons who are approaching the Corporation or the District Administration seeking to provide necessary food.
The bench comprising Justice Shaji P Chaly & Justice Ashok Menon was hearing a petition filed by a social worker, TPN Jishan expressing concern over the closure of community kitchen within the limits of Kozhikode Corporation.
The petitioner submitted that due to the closure of the community kitchen, the fishermen were facing difficulty inmaintaining themselvesamid COVID 19 lockdown. Moreover when many people approached the Corporation, they were not provided with food by the Corporation due to the reason that the community kitchen was closed.
The Standing Counsel for Kozhikode Corporation submitted that “the Corporation is following the advisories and directives issued by the State Government with regard to the opening and closure of the community kitchen and no persons are permitted to operate individually without the sanction of the District Administration and the Corporation.”
It was further submitted that if any poor people are approaching the Corporation for food, necessary arrangements would be made by the Corporation in cooperation with the District Administration.The Corporation further submitted that a Ward member of the Kozhikode Corporation had submitted representation before the Secretary of the Corporation to alleviate the grievance of the poor fishermen, who are depending on the community kitchen.
The bench disposing of the petition directed the Secretary of the Corporation to take a decision on the representation at the earliest. The bench also clarified that if the petitioner or any other social worker is interested in providing food, they are at liberty to contribute the same to the Corporation or the District Administration.
-India Legal Bureau