The State government on Thursday told the High Court of Karnataka that a portal — Sakalpa — has been made functional to coordinate COVID-19 response-related activities with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private sectors, and others. NGOs and voluntary organisations can provide details of their relief measures to the government by logging into the portal, https://www.karnatakafightscorona .org/ , the government said.
A special Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice B.V. Nagarathna, which is hearing through videoconference the PIL petitions on issues related to COVID-19 lockdown, directed the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to act at the earliest by appointing nodal officers who can coordinate with NGOs immediately.
The government, in its response to the court’s earlier order, said that the DCs have been now instructed to coordinate with NGOs and other voluntary organisations through videoconferences by appointing nodal officers in each district and municipal levels.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Bench, in its April 13 order, had told the government that NGOs/voluntary organisations cannot be prevented from distributing food provided they followed the norms of social distancing and other precautionary measures.
Help by individuals
Meanwhile, the Bench asked the government to create a mechanism to take maximum advantage of individuals ready to help the needy.
ADVERTISEMENT
Pointing out that there may be several individuals who are eager to provide cooked food or ration kits but may find it difficult to approach government offices for taking up these activities, the Bench said that such activities of individuals also could be channelised on the lines of the activities of NGOs so that benefit reaches the needy.