ALL MANIPUR SCHOOL STUDENT TRANSPORTER ASSOCIATION Vs. STATE OF MANIPUR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Shri K. Modhusudon, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner-association and Shri H. Debendra, learned Government Advocate appearing for respondents.

(2.) By the instant writ petition, the petitioner-association has prayed for issuing a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ to direct the respondents to provide financial assistance, by way of interest free loan upto Rs.2,00,000.00 (Rupees two lakhs) only, to each of its members through it repayable in reasonable monthly installments at least 12 months after normal school functioning commences or in the alternative, to direct the respondents to financially support the needy van drivers through the petitioner-association by depositing the amount directly in their accounts after receiving the necessary details from the petitioner-association. According to the petitioner-association, it is a body in the name and style of "All Manipur School Student Transporter Association" registered under the provisions of Manipur Societies Registration Act, 1989 represented by its President.

(3.) The petitioner-association was established in the year, 2009 which is a conglomeration of 150 private school student's van driver's associations and has a total number of about 3200 members. The petitioner-association had been rendering their services uninterruptedly for the welfare of the general public and in particular, the students till when all the schools were directed to remain closed on account of the COVID-19 crisis. The work for transportation of students in schools has come to a grinding halt due to lockdown imposed by the Centre and the State Government as a measure to contain and combat the spread of COVID-19, because of which the members of the petitioner-association have become jobless and they do require financial assistance. Many of them do not have any good saving and are dependent on their income which they earn from the monthly fees collected from the parents for carrying their children to their respective schools. In other words, they have no real saving at all to fall back on and are dependent on the regular functioning of schools for their livelihood. Their financial position is very acute and precarious, since the schools have been closed for more than five months. The prolonged closure of the schools in Manipur has resulted in the deprivation of their only source of income. They do have obligations and commitments in the family, as other members of the society do have. The situation being faced by them is so grim that it may not be an exaggeration to say that they are on the verge of starvation and require urgent and immediate financial aid.