Kerala HC questions Centre’s delay in releasing Wayanad landslide relief fund

Kochi: The Centre was directed to respond by the Kerala High Court on Friday to the amicus curiae report, which stated that no funds had been given from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) and the NDRF in relation to the relief efforts for the victims of the Wayanad landslip.

Amicus curiae senior advocate Ranjith Thampan contended that the Union government has not disbursed any grant or sum that the Prime Minister had promised during his visit to Wayanad, even though it has been more than 57 days since the tragedy, the New Indian Express reported.

As per the Bench's ruling, the NDRF and the authorities overseeing the PMNRF disbursal must take this factor into account. The Assistant Solicitor General of India requested until October 18th to react to the points raised by the amicus curiae.

According to the amicus curiae, the NDRF had given considerable funding to surrounding states including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Telangana. Additionally, without waiting for the complete damage assessment, they received financial support from the NDRF. The state of Kerala, however, has not gotten any significant amount.

In the meantime, the state government was ordered by the court to make sure that the state, district, and divisional Vigilance and Monitoring Committees—which were established to prevent and end illegal and unauthorised quarrying in the state—are revived.

The Wayanad district's areas that have experienced landslides or are at risk of doing so should have restrictions on certain activities, such as constructing tall buildings. The state administration was also asked by the Bench to provide a cost summary of the anticipated costs associated with the response and relief efforts.

The Advocate General claimed that the estimate for the relief measures included in the memorandum filed in the HC had been misrepresented by the media.