SC won’t interfere in steps by Centre

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to interfere with the steps taken by the government in sheltering lacks of migrant workers in the relief camps.

Noting the steps taken by the Centre in dealing with the situation arising from the outbreak of coronavirus, the Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to interfere with the steps taken by the government in sheltering lacks of migrant workers in the relief camps saying that it can’t supplant the wisdom of the government with its own wisdom.

Saying that they are not expert in handling matters relating to health and management and do not intend to interfere with government’s decisions for next 10 to 15 days, chief justice Sharad A. Bobde heading a three-judge bench said: “We do not plan to supplant the wisdom of the government with our wisdom.”

Besides CJI Bobde, other judges on the bench included justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and justice Deepak Gupta.

The court observation

came as the status report submitted by the Centre said that in 578 districts across the country 26476 active relief camps and shelters — run both by the government and the NGOs — were housing 10,37,026 people.

Besides this there are 17,321 food camps feeding 84, 26, 509 people every day. Coupled with this is another 15, 05, 107 people being sheltered and given food by the industry they are working in.

As counsel Prashant Bhushan appearing for social activist Harsh Mander and Anjali Bhardwaj urged the court that migrant workers sheltered in relief camps be given some wages, CJI Bobde asked: “If they are being provided meals then why do they need money for meals?”.

Mr Bhushan told the court: “Our survey report says more than 40% of these workers did not try to migrate and are living in their own homes in the cities. They do not have money to buy even one day’s meal.”