HC seeks stand of Delhi Govt, Centre on waiving school fees of minors who lost father to COVID-19

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has asked the Centre and the Delhi government to state their stand on a plea by two minor siblings, who lost their father to COVID-19, seeking waiver of their private school's fees till they reach Class 12.

Justice Yashwant Varma noted that at present, circulars issued by authorities do not deal with the petitioner's grievances and asked the Centre, the Delhi government as well as the lieutenant governor to file their response within four weeks.

The petitioners, who were studying in class 7 and class 2 at the time of filing of the petition last year, have claimed before the court that their 41-year-old father died in the second wave of the pandemic due to lack of oxygen supply to the Jaipur Golden Hospital here.

"Having heard learned counsel for the petitioners at some length, it appears that one of the reliefs which is claimed is for the waiver of fees of children who may have lost their parents due to COVID-19 till they reach class 12," said the court in a recent order.

"Let learned counsels representing respondent numbers 1 (Centre), 2 (Delhi government) and 5 (Delhi lieutenant governor) file their replies within a period of four weeks from today," it ordered. Besides seeking directions to ensure that no prejudice is caused to the minors' education on account of non-payment of fees, lawyer Bharat Malhotra, representing the petitioners, also sought implementation of government schemes for compensation to families and children who have lost their sole bread earner to COVID-19.

The Delhi government, in its counter affidavit, in the matter earlier had said it was implementing the 'Mukhyarnantri COVID-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana' pursuant to which monthly assistance of Rs 2,500 was being provided to families who have lost an earning member and Rs 50,000 as ex-gratia to families who have lost any member to the coronavirus.

The minors' father, who was infected with COVID-19, was admitted to the hospital on April 18 last year and was put on oxygen support. He died on April 24 last year due to lack of oxygen supply as he was provided very minimal support of oxygen due to shortage and this lead to his death, the plea has claimed. The matter would be heard next on March 21.