Kochi: Kerala HC on Friday pulled the Central Government to delay a certain stance in giving loans to the people affected by the landslide of July 2024. The Center cited a relevant section in the Disaster Management Act. The court was hearing a Soo Motu petition on the rehabilitation of landslide victims.Justice AK Jayaskaran Nambiar and PM Manoj observed that the Center could not take the post that it lacks the power for landslide victims due to the lapse of Section 13 of the Act, which empowered the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) earlier to recommend relief in payment of loans.“We want to know clearly, through an affidavit filed by someone responsible in the central government, are they telling that they do not have the power to direct banks to forgive the loan. We can understand the reluctance of working, but at least it is the courage to say so. The union should be taken by the government. Let the union be allowed to say. While NDMA can no longer have legal rights to recommend such relief, the central government still retains residual forces to take decisions, the court said.
The landslide claimed 298 lives and caused widespread property destruction.
