Delhi HC Directs Delhi Govt to Submit Status Report on Yamuna Flood Relief Efforts

The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Delhi government to submit a status report providing detailed information on the relief efforts carried out in response to the recent floods caused by the breach of the Yamuna river’s banks.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Saurabh Banerjee issued this order in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) petition.

The PIL sought the delivery of essential supplies such as free ration, medical assistance, and sanitary provisions to the people residing in the Yamuna flood relief camps.

The petitioner, Akash Bhattacharya, an Assistant Professor at Azim Premji University, asserted that the recent Yamuna floods have been the most devastating disaster in Delhi since 1978. Bhattacharya highlighted the lack of basic facilities in the relief camps where the displaced people are being accommodated.

The petition was filed through advocate KR Shriyas.

During the proceedings, Standing Counsel Santosh Tripathi, representing the Delhi government, raised objections to the petition’s details being published in the media before the court hearing.

Tripathi contended that this created a negative perception that the government was not actively involved in relief efforts. He further stated that the petitioner had not approached the authorities and mentioned that the government had been providing financial assistance to those affected.

The bench acknowledged the petitioner’s genuine cause and refrained from dismissing it at this stage. Instead, they instructed the government to submit a status report on the relief measures taken.

The court scheduled further consideration of the case for September 13, 2023.