- NET Web Desk
The Manipur High Court (HC) on Tuesday issued a notice to the state government for filing its response on the non-implementation of the Supreme Court’s orders to provide ex-gratia assistance of Rs 50,000 to family members of citizens, who succumbed due to COVID-19.
A bench comprising of Chief Justice PV Sanjay Kumar and Justice MV Muralidaran, the notice has been issued in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by former member of Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) Keisham Pradipkumar.
According to the PIL, Manipur government failed to implement the directions issued by the apex Court to the National Disaster Management Authority for recommending guidelines of providing ex-gratia assistance to family members of citizens who lost their lives due to COVID-19 global pandemic.
Mandated under Section 12 (ii) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the guideline asserts for the minimum standard of relief which should be provided to the persons affected by the pandemic.
However, the National Disaster Management Authority framed guidelines for paying an Ex-Gratia assistance of Rs 50,000 only to family members of those who succumbed due to COVID-19 and the same has been forwarded to the chief secretaries/administrators of all States and Union Territories (UTs) through a forwarding letter on September 11, 2021.
Accordingly, on September 4, the SC directed all States/UTs including Manipur to disburse the assistance.
Depending on the guidelines issues and directed by the apex court, Manipur Government has not yet taken any action or disbursed the amount.
The petitioner further urged the concerned authorities to comply with the orders issued by SC, and issue the ex-gratia assistance to residents in need.
