Kerala floods: Plea in SC for proper implementation of rehabilitation scheme

A plea was today filed in the Supreme Court seeking judicial supervision and proper implementation of rehabilitation scheme for flood victims in Kerala.

The plea filed by Kerala-based lawyer Siji Antony sought to know the steps taken by the Centre including any help requested from the United Nations and agencies like World Health Organization to handle the emergency situation.

It also said that the Centre cannot "wash its hands" of the responsibility of protecting the life of its citizens, adding that if there is no request from the state government, the Union Government must, "as the protector of life and liberty of the citizens and other people", intervene on its own.

The petition, filed through advocate Prasanth Padmanabhan, sought to know about the readiness with which the central government and states can deal with natural calamities and disaster as defined under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 in the light of the Kerala experience.

"Had the National Plan been properly implemented, the magnitude and the after effect of the natural disaster in the state of Kerala would have been lesser. Only a judicial examination of all what is done by the state of Kerala and the Union of India would enable better response mechanism," the plea said.

It also said that the people of Kerala who live near the rivers are under constant fear of their Right to Life, because of the defective planning and non existence of any 'Environment Impact Assessment' for any project within Kerala.

The petition alleged that the response of the state government to the natural calamity was totally inadequate and lethargic and wasted the precious time in not calling for help from NDRF as well as demanding adequate battalions at the initial days when the severe rains stuck Kerala.

An estimated 223 people have lost their lives since August 8 in Kerala's worst floods in decades which also forced more than 10 lakh people out of their homes.