HC questions non-functioning of disaster mgmt authorities

The Karnataka High Court on Monday asked the state government to issue directions to the District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMA) to adhere to the provisions of the Disaster Management Act (DMA).

After going through the submission made by the state government, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that most of the DDMAs in the state were non-functional.

Based on the written submission by the state government, the bench said except the districts such as Bagalkot, Belagavi, Dharwad, Mysuru, Vijayapura and Yadgir, the rest are virtually non-functional as review meetings are not held. It quoted from the report that DDMA of Kalaburagi held one meeting, that also on March 15, 2020. The authority in the virus-hit Dakshina Kannada has met only twice in the month of May.

The Additional Advocate General informed the court that being the chairperson of the committee, deputy commissioner of the district passes orders and subsequently gets post facto ratification. He said the Principal Secretary (Revenue Department) has written to the DCs on July 6, directing DDMAs to implement the directions.

"The DDMAs have important powers under the Disaster Management Act. District authorities may vest powers with the chairperson. Even for ratification, meetings will have to be held. Our attention is invited to the letter by the Principal Secretary of the Revenue Department. However, there is no specific direction issued to hold the meetings to ensure exercise of powers vested in it and also to perform duties and functions required to be discharged by district authorities. Such a direction will have to be issued, especially to those which are non-functional,’’ the bench directed.