HC asks nodal officer to check any lockdown violation by CWG village residents

The Delhi High Court has asked a nodal officer to keep a check on violation of lockdown guidelines and social distancing norms by the residents of Commonwealth Games Village (CWGV) near Akshardham Temple and report it to the authorities concerned.

The high court had last year appointed a retired district judge as the nodal officer who was permitted to act to the limited extent of making payment of essential service charges related to the CWGV.

The court was hearing a fresh application by one of the residents alleging violation of lockdown and social distancing norms by the residents of the locality. It was filed in a pending petition relating to RWA elections.

The nodal officer to act with the aid and assistance of the Facility Management Service Agency and CWGVAOA (CWG Village Apartment Owners' Association) staff to keep a check on any violations, within the village, of the guidelines issued by the Government of India as well as the Government of the NCT of Delhi and to report the matter to the concerned local authority, wherever such action is deemed appropriate, Justice Yogesh Khanna said and asked the nodal officer to file a report within four weeks.

While the order was passed on April 27, it was uploaded on the court's website on Wednesday.

The application, filed through advocate Joby P Varghese on behalf of one of the CWG village residents, alleged that there was repeated violation of national lockdown directives by the residents who are regularly going out for walk in the adjacent DDA park, not maintaining social distancing and also not wearing the mandatory marks.

The plea sought direction to permit the nodal officer to close the access gate from CWG village to the adjacent DDA park and to take all measures to ensure strict compliance of lockdown directives and also to report the instances of violation to the concerned local district administration authorities.

Senior advocate Aishwarya Bhati, representing other residents of the village, contended that the application was filed with a mala fide intent and the residents were duly following the social distancing norms issued by the government.

The plea said that due to the severe violations by certain residents of the village, an e-circular was issued by the finance management services agency, which is managing the operations and maintenance of the colony, directing the residents to stop visiting DDA parks and walks in the area but it did not yield any results.

The plea said since complete grocery shops are not available within the village, residents have to go to nearby markets at Mayur Vihar, Pandav Nagar and Ganesh Nagar for buying essential items or get them delivered from there.

Many of the areas in close proximity to these places are declared corona hotspots by the Delhi government. In such circumstances, the continued access of public places like parks in large numbers by village residents and mingling with other residents within the village is a serious threat to the safety and security of all residents in the village and is also in complete violation of the lockdown conditions, it alleged.