'SC judges to contribute to Kerala flood relief fund'

Twenty five Supreme Court judges will contribute in the relief funds for the flood-affected victims in Kerala, which has seen a large scale devastation of lives and properties, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra on Monday said.

A bench of the CJI and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud made this observation during the hearing of a PIL in which it was contemplating imposing a cost of Rs 25 lakh on a litigant for filing an "improper application" in a PIL on which the verdict has already been reserved.

Attorney General K K Venugopal, who termed the matter a fit case for initiation of contempt proceedings, also advised that the cost, to be imposed, to be given to the Kerala Chief Minister's flood relief fund.

"We are also making some contribution in the fund... The judges of this court would also make their contribution for the relief of the victims," the CJI told Venugopal, who recently hogged the limelight by announcing that he would be contributing Rs one crore to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund.

Apex court judge Justice Kurian Joseph, who hails from the flood-ravaged state, has been active in ensuring and arranging relief materials for the state.

According to apex court sources, the judges will contribute Rs 25,000 each to the relief fund.

Venugopal's son and senior advocate Krishnan Venugopal also contributed Rs 15 lakh towards the relief fund.

A group of Delhi-based Malayali lawyers had earlier initiated a collection drive and dispatched eight truck-load full of necessary supplies including clothes, sanitary napkins, candles, baby food, mugs, buckets, biscuits, water bottles, medicines, soaps etc, in a Navy aircraft.

Justice Joseph had actively taken part in the collection drive and had spent over six hours in support of the lawyers collecting supplies at the flood relief collection point near the apex court.

He had also contributed a significant amount for the flood relief activities in Kerala.

Senior lawyer Jaideep Singh contributed Rs five lakh towards the distress relief fund.

Another senior advocate Chander Uday Singh has also reportedly contributed Rs five lakh.

Earlier, on August 16, the Supreme Court Bar Association had donated Rs 30 lakh from its Calamity Relief Fund.

The deadliest deluge in Kerala in close to a century has claimed over 210 lives since August 8.

As per official records, on Sunday 7.24 lakh people were housed in 5,645 relief camps across the state.

Kerala has been receiving financial aid from various state governments across the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had visited the state on August 18 declared an assistance of Rs 500 crore for the state.

The south Indian state is facing its worst flood in 100 years with 80 dams opened and all rivers in spate.

A body blow has been dealt to the state known for its scenic natural beauty, with its infrastructure, standing crops and tourism facilities getting severely hit.