The Kerala High Court, on Saturday, delivered a stern reprimand to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and the state government for providing inaccurate financial reports related to the rehabilitation efforts in Wayanad, which was struck by devastating landslides. The bench, comprising Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Mohmmed Nias C P, raised serious concerns about the prolonged delay in fund allocation and described the situation as a burgeoning disaster in itself.
During the session, the court highlighted multiple discrepancies in the disaster fund management, notably the inaccuracy in auditing and mishandling of the allocated resources. It was emphasized that the state must furnish precise figures when seeking further assistance from the Central government.
The High Court specifically instructed that detailed accounting of the Rs 677 crore allocated from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for Wayanad’s rehabilitation—including the amounts already spent and those still required—be submitted to the court. The state government has committed to providing this information by the upcoming Thursday.
Moreover, the bench admonished the state representatives for deflecting blame and adopting positions potentially offensive to the landslide victims. This direction followed the presentation by the SDMA’s Finance Officer, who was ordered by the court on Friday to detail the financial needs for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the affected areas, along with the extent of financial aid expected from the Central government.
