Wayanad: HC criticises Centre, state on lack of relief fund accounts

Kochi: The Kerala High Court came down on the Centre and the Kerala state over the lack of clarity on relief and rehabilitation fund accounts in connection with the deadly landslides that hit Wayanad in July. The court ordered the Finance Officer of the State Disaster Management Authority to be present in person on Saturday, PTI reported.

The court of Justices AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Mohmmed Nias CP posed several queries, including how much funds were required for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the landslides-hit areas of Wayanad and the amount of financial assistance to be provided by the Centre, to which it wanted answers.

The queries also included how much was in the relief fund before the disaster, how much was available for use out of it, and what portion of the amount allocated by the Centre was utilised.

The bench said once these queries are addressed, further directions will be issued.

The queries from the court came during a hearing of a plea initiated by it for the prevention and management of natural disasters in the state in the wake of the landslides that devastated three villages in the Wayanad district and claimed over 200 lives.

Two weeks ago, the Centre had told the court that a high-level committee had approved assistance of around Rs 153 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) towards the Wayanad landslide disaster-related relief efforts.

It had also informed the HC that the Kerala government provided its requirement for Rs 2,219 crore towards recovery and reconstruction only on November 13 and that it was under consideration.

Days after the Centre filed the affidavit in court, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan termed it "misleading".

He said the amount of Rs 153 crore mentioned by the Centre was part of the funds allocated each year to a state as per the recommendations of the Finance Commission and can only be spent in accordance with the specific guidelines laid down for the same.

"Therefore, it cannot be spent on the rehabilitation of the disaster-affected people and places in Wayanad. This means not a penny has been given as assistance to the state as help," he said.

Both the CPI(M)-led LDF and Congress-led UDF have held hartals in Wayanad protesting against the alleged lack of financial assistance from the Centre for rehabilitation work.

However, the High Court had termed the protest as "irresponsible" and wondered what they sought to achieve "other than mount more misery" on people.