Aishwarya Rathore-
The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi Government to file its reply on a petition seeking declaration of Fair Price Shop Dealers as frontline workers amid Covid-19 pandemic.
Delhi Ration Dealers Union has filed a petition in this matter.
The petitioners, a group of 70 fair price shop owners, claim that owing to the pandemic, Ration Shop Dealers/Fair Price Shop owners were instructed to give rations free of cost to qualified ration card holders and other needy people.
According to the order of the Delhi Commissioner, they were also required to keep the shops open for the entire seven days. Their duties include day-to-day public dealing and ensuring that no one is denied basic necessities, making them particularly vulnerable to the virus.
As a result, it is proposed that Fair Price Shop Dealers be designated as essential front-line workers during COVID-19, with all benefits provided to them.
“Nowadays vaccines are available for everyone above the age of 18. Then, what is the need for this?” A Division Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh asked the Petitioner at the outset.
To this, Advocate Yash Aggarwal responded citing shortage of vaccine availability in the State. “Vaccines are still not in adequate quantity,” he said. That apart, Aggarwal added, “Frontline workers get monetary benefits if someone in their family dies. So, through this we seek all such benefits.”
The petitioners explicitly request benefits such as death insurance, medical expenditure reimbursement, and supply of essential items like masks and sanitizers, etc.
They also urge that a civil defence volunteer be assigned to each Fair Price Shop to help control crowds and maintain social distance.
Government of NCT of Delhi (GNCTD) advocate Santosh Kumar Tripathi informed the Bench on Friday that the National Disaster Management Authority has the authority to classify any class of people as frontline workers.
As a result, the Court has given the Respondent some time to make a written reply. The case has been adjourned until September 6.
