New Delhi: A public interest litigation has been filed in the Supreme court seeking remedial measures in view of the financial and social impact of the lockdown.
The petition filed on Sunday sought to make medical facilities, food and shelter available to all the citizens irrespective of their financial and social status as the dreaded virus hasn't just affected the poor but also the middle class taxpayers of the country.
Sumit Mehta and Vikrant YS Narulla, the petitioners, have also sought various others directions, including, arrangement of mobile vendors for delivery of essential items, conversion of public gardens and stadiums into accommodation centres, guidelines that no person should be terminated from the job, asking the government to transfer Rs 10,000 into income tax payers accounts as a short term loan, blanket stay on EMIs, waiving off the interest payable by sections of business owners, etc.
The petitioners have also mentioned that the pandemic raged beyond expectations and the government is inefficient in tackling the situation and therefore the intervention of courts is required for the well being of the people.
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"The government has declared assistance and financial stimulus, which are not only biased to only one particular segment of the society but also are inconclusive and inefficient in curbing the menace", said the petitioners.
They further mentioned that the government remained ignorant of the situation which has eventually lead to a standstill.
The petitioners have alleged that since the government has failed to provide food and shelter to the people the spread of corona is at a greater risk now and as a result people are not adhering to the orders of lockdown.
The petition also highlighted the lack of safety gear among the police, doctors, administrative officers, etc who are the front-line warriors in the fight against the COVID-19.
