The Kerala High Court on Wednesday suggested to the Central Government that it consider waiving approximately Rs 120 crore out of the Rs 132 crore charged as airlift fees by the Indian Air Force (IAF) for past rescue operations in Kerala since 2006. Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Easwaran S proposed that this sum could instead be used immediately for the rehabilitation of landslide victims in Wayanad.
The court highlighted the critical need for these funds in the wake of devastating landslides that recently obliterated three villages in the Wayanad district, suggesting that the freed-up amount could significantly aid the ongoing recovery efforts. The bench urged the Centre to contemplate allowing Kerala to temporarily redirect these funds and to relax norms under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to facilitate this.
During the hearing, the justices remarked that the demand for the full Rs 132 crore, made shortly after Kerala requested financial aid following the Wayanad disaster, seemed like a “psychological move” by the Centre. They emphasized the removal of such barriers in the face of humanitarian needs.
This demand for airlift charges includes significant sums for operations during the catastrophic floods of 2018, which were among the worst in Kerala’s history, and more recent charges for the rescue operations following the landslides on July 30.
The Kerala government has approximately Rs 61 crore available in its SDRF account, but with the proposed relaxation, the available funds could increase to Rs 180 crore, providing a more substantial financial base for disaster management.
The High Court’s request came during a plea it initiated concerning the prevention and management of natural disasters in Kerala. This legal inquiry was prompted by the severe landslides that occurred on July 30, claiming the lives of 231 people and causing extensive destruction in Punchirimattam, Chooralmala, and Mundakkai villages in Wayanad.
