School drivers approach Court to bail them out
HC directs Govt to form committee
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 15 2020:
High Court of Manipur has directed the State Government to constitute a committee within a week's time to verify the claims made by All Manipur School Student Transporters Association (AMSSTA) regarding problems they are facing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
A single bench of the Court with Justice Kh Nobin was hearing a writ petition filed by the AMSSTA against the State represented by the Chief Secretary/Chairperson, State Executive Committee of State Disaster Management Authority, Principal Secretary (Finance), Commissioner of Education (Schools), Director of Education (Schools) as respondents yesterday.
The petition prayed the Court to issue a writ directing the respondents to provide financial assistance, interest free loan of upto Rs 2,00,000 (Rs 2 lakh) to each of its members.
As the COVID-19 crisis has put them out of work for months, they are facing financial problems.
The AMSSTA submitted that they do not have any good savings and are dependent on their income which they earn by collecting monthly fees from the parents for carrying their children to their respective schools.
They have submitted a number of representations to the Chief Minister and Education Minister for giving financial assistance in the form of loan or otherwise by preparing a scheme similar to that of the street vendors and other small and medium enterprises.
They approached the Court as they are aggrieved by the inaction on the part of the respondents, said AMSSTA.
The Court after hearing both parties directed the State Government to constitute a committee to verify the genuineness of the claims made by the AMSSTA within a week.
The committee shall, after the enquiry being held, submit a report to the State Government within a month.
The State Government shall consider the report submitted by the committee and take an appropriate decision for providing financial help to them within a month and if necessary, the State Government may approach the Central Government for grant of a financial package so that it can extend help to them, at least, on humanitarian grounds, said the Court.