On the 7th of April, the Central Government submitted a report to the Supreme Court (SC) informing briefly about the relief camps organised in India.  The camps were arranged under the Central Government and state governments providing shelter and food to the poor and migrant workers during the Nationwide lockdown.

On the 24th of March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced a 21 day Nationwide lockdown in the backdrop of the Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19.  The lockdown was a major step taken to prevent the spread of the Novel Coronavirus and curb the increasing cases.

In the wake of the lockdown, the Central Government organised a total of  22,657 relief camps for the needy with shelter and food. Out of total 22,657 relief camps, 68% of the camps, which is equal to 15,541 were organised in Kerala itself under the Kerala Government.

 Sitaram Yechury, a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist,) on the 7th of April, released official data through his Twitter account.

Mr. Yechury said, “Centre’s own report to Supreme Court says that out of 22,567 active govt relief camps and shelters all over India, 15,541 are run by Kerala govt. That is 68.8% of all camps.  Similarly, of the 631,119 persons houses in relief camps/shelters, 302,016 (or 47.9%) are in Kerala.”

According to the released data, the Central Government run camps were functioning in 578 districts in India.

The report was submitted after activists Harsh Mander and Anjali Bhardwaj filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a report over the arrangements made for the poor and migrant workers in the Country.

Gyanesh Kumar, the Additional General Secretary to the Home Affairs Ministry, represented the Central Government and briefed the arrangements with facts and figures.

Mr. Kumar said, “The Central Government has taken proactive and preemptive steps to first deal with the emergent priority existing then viz. containing the spread of Coronavirus in the country.”

The report read, “As compared to the position in several parts of the world, the proactive, continuously monitored and preemptive steps taken by the Central Government and all the State Government have been successful and the spread of virus is at its minimum.” the report said.

Approximately 15 lakh people are taking shelter and food in these camps during the 21 day lockdown.  The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said, “I state that while it is the responsibility of the Central Government and all State Governments to ensure protection of every section of this society, which the Central Government and all State Governments are discharging scrupulously, the present petition may not be entertained.”  It further deemed the PIL to be filed based on newspaper reports and is not accurate and accountable.

The MHA said, “The Centre and all state governments are doing their best strategizing all human resources and other resources to come out of this unprecedented global crisis, it said adding that during this unprecedented crisis.”

With all these reports and updates, the MHA urged the SC to dismiss the PIL filed against the Central Government.

However, the bench of judges comprising the Chief Justice of India (CJI) S.A. Bobde, heard the PIL and reserved the decision for the next hearing scheduled on the 13th of April.

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