HC staff contribute Rs 54L to relief fund

Chandigarh, April 15

The Punjab and Haryana High Court is donating generously to Covid relief funds set up by the Centre and state governments. Its judges and staff, including peons, ‘chowkidars’ and gardeners, have contributed approximately Rs 54 lakh during the Covid lockdown period.

This is in addition to approximately Rs 11 lakh ‘suo motu’ contributed by no less than 27 judges to PGIMER for personal protective equipment for the medical fraternity. Another judge has contributed Rs 50,000 towards the Haryana Covid-19 Relief Fund, in addition to contributing money to the Red Cross for supplying food to the needy.

The Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court, Justice AK Mittal, who belongs to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, has also contributed Rs 50,000. All other judges of the MP High Court have decided to donate Rs 25,000 to the PM-CARES Fund. The amount is to be deducted from the April salary and the contributions are being made on a voluntary basis.

All 56 judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court have contributed Rs 5.6 lakh. Its peons, chowkidars, gardeners, safai sewaks, daftris and usher have collected about Rs 6,00,500.

The High Court junior assistants, stenotypists, clerks, restorers, supervisors, book binders and drivers have contributed approximately Rs 12,40,000 while judgment writers, grade two superintendents, senior assistants, stenographers and translators have collected Rs 8,88,000. — TNS