Hearing a plea on the plight of Hindu migrants from Pakistan living in a slum in the national capital sans even electricity for the last five to six years, the Delhi High Court has said that it hopes and trusts the government to look into the matter sympathetically.
"There are small children and women in the area. In the absence of electricity, it has become very difficult for these families to survive, and they are living in extremely harsh conditions," noted a division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad in the recent order.
The court also asked for the Centre's reply within two weeks on a no objection certificate (NOC) that can solve the electricity supply issue, which has not been issued to the migrants yet.
Power distributor Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (Tata Power-DDL) apprised that it is not able to provide electricity connections as the land in question belongs to the Central government or Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), emphasising the need for the NOC to erect electric poles for power supply.
As per the PIL filed on behalf of the Hindu migrants living in Adarsh Nagar near the Majlis Park Metro Station, all of them have been issued Aadhaar cards and are here on long-term Visa issued by the government.
They are poor people who do not have a permanent place or shelter and they are living in a cluster of jhuggis, the plea read.
The petitioners' counsel said they will not claim any right over the land in question on account of the fact that electricity has been provided to them and are ready to pay for the electricity, and a prepaid meter can be installed in their premises.
He also apprised the court that the other migrants from Pakistan living in the Majnu-Ka-Tila have been provided electricity connection.
The matter will be next heard on October 6.