PM Modi to lead India at video conference of SAARC nations on Sunday: MEA
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead India at a video conference of all SAARC nations at 5 pm on Sunday to chalk out a joint strategy to fight coronavirus in the region, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
Modi on Friday proposed formulation of a joint strategy by the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations to fight coronavirus, a suggestion that was backed by all the member states.
"Coming together for common good! 15 March, 1700 IST. PM Narendra Modi will lead India at the video conference of all SAARC member countries, to chalk out a strong common strategy to fight COVID-19 in the region," MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet.
Calling on the SAARC nations to set an example for the world, Modi had reached out to the eight-member regional grouping and pitched for a video conference among its leaders to chalk out a strong strategy to fight coronavirus, which has killed nearly 5,000 people globally.
His appeal got a prompt response from Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, Bhutanese premier Lotay Tshering, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Afghan government, all of whom welcomed the proposal.
Pakistan's response to the proposal came late in the night with the country's Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui saying the threat of COVID-19 required coordinated efforts at global and regional levels.
"We have communicated that SAPM (Special Assistant to Pakistani Prime Minister) on Health (Zafar Mirza) will be available to participate in the video conference of SAARC member countries on the issue," she said.
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Delhi HC orders Rs 30 lakh compensation to kin of 3 deceased sanitation workers
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court has directed the city authorities to pay Rs 30 lakh compensation each to the families of three sanitation workers who died during manual scavenging in 2017.
The HC allowed the petition by the family members seeking higher ex gratia in accordance with a Supreme Court order in 2023 which increased the compensation payable to the dependents of the victims who lost their lives in manual scavenging to Rs 30 lakh from the existing Rs 10 lakh.
The family members said in the petition that the three sanitation workers died in August 2017 while cleaning a drain in Lajpat Nagar. The plea said the deceased were engaged by a Delhi Jal Board sub-contractor.
The petitioners said that after they died, a compensation of Rs 10 lakh was awarded to the family members. However, they prayed that the amount be increased to Rs 30 lakh.
"It can be seen that the directions issued by the Supreme Court were expressly made applicable to all the statutory bodies including corporations, railways, cantonments as well as the agencies under its control.
"Moreover, the Union and State governments were directed to ensure that the rehabilitation measures were taken with respect to sewage workers, including the family of those who have lost their lives. Specifically, it was directed that the compensation of Rs 10 lakh that was given to the family members of the deceased workers be enhanced to Rs 30 lakh," Justice Sachin Datta said.
The high court said necessarily, the ameliorative directions, strictures and the embargo imposed by the Supreme Court are applicable to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) as also to any agency that may be engaged by the board within any part of Delhi in connection with the work relating to the collection of sewage or carrying out connected works.
"Any disregard or violation thereto would invite strict consequences" as envisaged in the apex court verdict, it said.
Considering the reasoning given by the apex court, it would be a travesty if the entitlement of the family members of the deceased scavenging workers is confined to Rs 10 lakh, the high court said.
"The same would defeat the directions of the Supreme Court to enhance the compensation to Rs 30 lakh on the basis that the previously fixed compensation of Rs 10 lakh was fixed as far back as in the year 1993 and could not be considered to be an adequate compensation," it said, adding that the family members of the deceased sanitation workers are entitled to a compensation of Rs 30 lakh.
The high court said the remaining amount be paid to the family members within eight weeks.
Observing that manual scavengers have lived in bondage, systematically trapped in inhuman conditions for a long time, the Supreme Court had in October last year asked the Centre and state governments to completely eradicate manual scavenging across the country.
Passing a slew of directions for the benefit of people involved in manual scavenging, it had asked the central and state governments to pay Rs 30 lakh as compensation to the next of kin of those who die while cleaning sewers.
"The court hereby directs the Union and the States to ensure that the compensation for sewer deaths is increased (given that the previous amount fixed, that is, Rs 10 lakh) was made applicable from 1993. The current equivalent of that amount is Rs 30 lakh. This shall be the amount to be paid, by the concerned agency, that is, the Union, the Union Territory or the State as the case may be. In other words, compensation for sewer deaths shall be Rs 30 lakh," the Supreme Court had ordered.
It had also said that the authorities needed to take measures for the rehabilitation of the victims and their families.
