Kerala minister flays delayed declaration of Wayanad landslide as 'disaster of severe nature'
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Criticising the Centre for taking five months before declaring Wayanad landslide as a 'disaster of severe nature,' Kerala Revenue Minister K Rajan said on Tuesday that it would have been more beneficial if the Centre’s announcement had come within two months after the calamity struck.
The state government had on Monday received an official communication from the Centre that the Wayanad landslides have been declared as a disaster of "severe nature," recognising its intensity and impact for all practical purposes.
Addressing reporters here, Rajan said it would have been more beneficial if the Centre’s declaration had come within two months of the disaster.
“We can’t just understand why it took more than five months for the Centre to make such a declaration,” the minister said.
He said despite the Inter-Ministerial Central Team submitting its report to the Home ministry within a month of the disaster, The Centre’s high-level committee sat on it for five months to recognise the landslide as disaster of severe nature.
Rajan said the Centre had not yet responded to the state’s demand to write off the loans of the disaster-affected people and make new loans available for their rehabilitation under Section 13 of the 2005 Disaster Management Act.
He said on the state government’s request, the Kerala Bank had written off the loans of landslide-affected people of Wayanad district setting a model before the Centre.
The Centre’s communication also does not mention anything about the state’s request for Rs 219 crore as additional assistance for post-disaster recovery and reconstruction, he said.
If the Centre’s classification of the disaster had come earlier, the reconstruction work could have been better managed with the help of NGOs and other agencies, he said.
However, the government would now carry forward the reconstruction in Wayanad using the provisions envisaged in the Centre’s declaration, he said.
In a communication to the Kerala government on Monday, the Union Home Ministry explained that financial aid for such severe disasters is initially provided by the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), which is then supplemented by the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) based on assessments conducted by the IMCT.
"However, keeping in view the intensity and magnitude of the Meppadi landslide disaster in Wayanad district, it has been considered by the IMCT as a disaster of severe nature for all practical purposes," the communication said.
Massive landslides triggered by torrential rains in Chooralmala and Mundakkai regions in Wayanad district on July 30, had claimed over 200 lives and resulted in largescale destruction of property, leaving thousands of people homeless.
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CJI praises retiring SC judge Justice Ravikumar as 'humane and noble soul'
New Delhi (PTI): Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on Friday lauded Supreme Court judge Justice CT Ravikumar on his last working day, describing him as a "humane and noble soul" whose journey from a humble rural background to the apex court was nothing short of extraordinary.
Justice Ravikumar was elevated to the top court on August 31, 2021, after an illustrious tenure at Kerala High Court.
He is the ninth senior-most judge in the apex court.
As he prepares to superannuate on Sunday, the ceremonial bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Khanna, Justice Ravikumar and Justice Sanjay Kumar bid an emotional farewell, celebrating his contributions and legacy.
"Coming from a rural background and achieving the distinction of serving as a judge of the Supreme Court is a remarkable accomplishment. Justice Ravikumar has not only achieved this but also outperformed in his duties," remarked CJI Khanna, highlighting the challenges of rising through the ranks without the privileges of urban upbringing.
The CJI further acknowledged Justice Ravikumar's enduring impact on the judiciary, calling him an inspiration for future generations.
"He has left behind a legacy for all judges to follow. We will certainly miss him but wish him the very best in his future endeavours," he said and added that Justice Ravikumar would continue to reside in Delhi.
In a heartfelt address, Justice Ravikumar expressed his gratitude to the Bar for its support throughout his tenure.
"I was an advocate and that advocate remains in me. That is why I always hold the Bar in the highest respect," he said.
Several legal luminaries, including Attorney General R Venkataramani, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Kapil Sibal, paid glowing tributes to the retiring judge.
"The Lordship never was a god-fearing man but Your Lordship always remains a god-loving person... We have never felt Your Lordship getting angry, raising the voice or in any manner, making us uncomfortable," the solicitor general said.
Sibal referred to Justice Ravikumar's love for cricket and nature, like him. "Just as you watch nature every day for half an hour, so do I, because I learn every day from nature itself. Animals never kill an animal unless it is hungry."
He further said, "But men are not like that. Human beings are not like that. Even when they are not hungry, they kill. We have to learn from nature, and I do that every day. That's one thing in common with you."
He also said Justice Ravikumar was "simple, unassuming, thoughtful, loving, hearing everybody".
Born on January 6, 1960, in Kerala's Peermadu, Justice Ravikumar graduated in zoology from Bishop Moore College, Mavelikara, and obtained an LLB degree from Government Law College, Calicut.
He enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Kerala on July 12, 1986, commenced his practice at Mavelikara courts, and later shifted to Kerala High Court.
He was appointed an additional judge of Kerala High Court on January 5, 2009, and became a permanent judge on December 15, 2010.
He took oath as a judge of the top court on August 31, 2021.
