Kerala High Court questions State's approach in seeking funds from Centre for Wayanad relief

The Kerala High Court on Friday criticised the State government for failing to provide a completion date for post-landslide rehabilitation projects at Wayanad while seeking financial assistance from the Central government [In Re: Prevention and Management of Natural Disasters in Kerala]..A Division Bench of Justices AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Easwaran S asked the State how it proposed to proceed with such rehabilitation projects without a proper schedule or timeline."When you have 16 projects for rehabilitation, please have a time frame in mind. You will not get additional funds from the Central government if you don't have a completion date," Justice Nambiar said..The Bench was hearing a suo motu case initiated by the High Court to monitor relief and rehabilitation efforts in Wayanad after the district was hit by devastating landslides last yet. .During yesterday's hearing, Advocate General Gopalakrishna Kurup informed the Court that the State had sought financial assistance under a special scheme that offered an interest-free loan for 50 years.The Court examined a letter from the Central government dated February 11, which required rehabilitation projects undertaken using funds under this scheme to be completed by March 31, 2025. The Court proceeded to ask the State government what steps were taken to communicate the impracticality of this deadline for Wayanad rehabilitation efforts. In response, the Advocate General submitted that the State had prepared a letter to be sent to the Centre, highlighting the difficulties in meeting the deadline..The State argued that the Centre could not impose such time constraints for extending financial assistance. The Court, however, maintained that a structured timeline was necessary for efficient rehabilitation. The Court added that the State must seek clarification from the Central government on expenditure plans and project timelines.The Court proceeded to ask the State to place on record all relevant documents..Meanwhile, amicus curiae Ranjith Thampan brought to the Court's notice, the issue of removing debris from landslide affected areas and water bodies.The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), in response, informed the Court that assessing the volume of debris was crucial and that a material processing unit would be set up to sort and recover reusable materials, which would be utilised for river training, township construction, road restoration, and land infilling. He also stated that debris removal in human habitation areas would be prioritised.The Court directed the government to ensure that the river training work was completed before the monsoon season and instructed officials to submit a progress report as well as a structured timetable by the next hearing. The matter will be heard next on March 3. .[Read Live Coverage].Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.