Cannot force government to extend Pongal gift hampers to SL refugees outside camps: HC

The Madras High Court on Monday observed that the court could not force the State government to provide the Pongal gift hampers to Sri Lankan Tamil refugees who opted to stay outside the refugee camps in Tamil Nadu.

“The government could not be compelled to provide benefits even to refugees who willingly choose to reside outside the camps and take care of themselves,” the first bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice PD Audikesavalu made this observation on dismissing a petition moved by Madras University's former professor Ramu Manivannan.

The petitioner sought for direction to the government to extend Pongal gift hampers to 32,242 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees who are staying outside the refugees’ camps across the State.

“The State government had extended the Pongal gift hampers to 94,069 SL Tamil refugees residing inside 108 camps. However, refugees staying outside the camps have not provided anything for Pongal. The government which had extended the relief materials for refugees staying outside during the pandemic had failed to provide the Pongal gift,” the petitioner submitted.

However, the State has informed the court that the refugees residing outside the camps have their own businesses and opportunity to go to work and therefore, we decided not to extend the Pongal gift hampers to them.

Accepting the submissions made by the government side, the bench dismissed the petition observing that there is nothing illegal in not providing Pongal gifts to refugees who opted to live outside the camps.