Delhi's area of darkness: Court to hear suit

New Delhi, Nov 4 : Even as the Indian capital undergoes a makeover ahead of the Commonwealth Games next year, one pocket of Delhi, Badarpur Khadar, still lives in darkness, quite literally. An NGO Wednesday filed a public suit in the Delhi High Court highlighting the plight of the residents there.

Social jurist filed a public interest petition highlighting the plight of residents and children living in Badarpur Khadar, on the northeast edge of Delhi, and cited how 600-odd families there are living without basic amenities like electricity and drinking water.

"The children of the village have never gone to school because there is no school in the vicinity. All other basic amenities such as electricity, drinking water, dispensaries etc. also are not available in the village. The residents are deprived of all their human and fundamental rights," said advocate Ashok Agarwal.

"Some boys do go to school but their number is very few as the school is very far away," said the petition demanding direction to the agencies to provide basic facilities to the residents of the village.

The court is likely to hear the petition next week.

"The deputy commissioner (north-east) had written to the DC of MCD, Shahadara north zone, in August 2008 regarding opening of a primary school in the village for which gram sabha (village) land was available. But the school is yet to show up," Agarwal added.

--IANS