HC grants more time to Delhi govt to file reply on PIL over steps taken to safeguard children orphaned due to COVID

New Delhi [India], February 8 : The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted more time to the Government of NCT Delhi to file its response in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking direction to respondents to safeguard the interest of the children who have lost their parents to COVID-19 and who do not have anyone else to take care of them and face the risk of being trafficked.
The bench of Chief Justice DN Patel of Delhi High Court and Justice Jyoti Singh directed the GNCTD to file a reply with respect to prayer No.1 of the petition and slated the matter for May 30, 2022, as similar related matters are also pending before the apex court.
The PIL had been filed by Jeetender Gupta Advocate who submitted that the Government of NCT of Delhi has failed to submit its reply with respect to Prayer No.1 which is important for the purpose of identification of children who have been orphaned in the National Capital and steps taken by Delhi Government to prevent them from trafficked.
The petition stated, "Issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ order or direction to the Respondents to safeguard the interest of the children who have lost their parents to COVID-19 and who do not have anyone else to take care of them and face the risk of being trafficked"
The plea alleged that complete collapse of health care infrastructure in the National Capital Territory of Delhi during the second wave of COVID-19 in India, more specifically starting from April 2021, due to gross negligence and failure on the part of the Respondents i.e. Central Government as well as the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), has resulted in the untimely death of hundreds/thousands of citizens.