SC notice to Centre, states on disaster management

The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the Centre and seven states, including Uttarakhand, on a PIL, alleging non-implementation of 2005 Disaster Management Act.

A bench of Justices A K Patnaik and M Y Eqbal issued notice to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Gujarat and Andaman and Nicobar Island on the petition filed by advocate Gaurav Bansal.

The petitioner, while citing the cloud bursts and flood fury in Uttarakhand last month, contended that the Disaster Management Act was never truly implemented. He said that casualties if the state could have been less. had the state government been sincere.

“Nation witnessed the catastrophe that struck upon Uttarakhand and which resulted into numerous deaths and tragedies. It is respectfully submitted that in order to fight with such kind of catastrophe, the Parliament, in the year 2005, enacted the Disaster Management Act.”

“However, it sounds pathetic that even after eight years of the act, the Centre and the various state governments have failed to implement its provisions in true letter and spirit,” Bansal said. He sought direction for making uniform policy for ex-gratia payments.