Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Friday came down heavily on the State government for failing to provide a completion date for post-landslide rehabilitation projects in Wayanad while seeking financial assistance from the Centre.
A Division Bench of Justices AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Easwaran S questioned the State’s approach, emphasizing that a structured timeline was essential for securing additional funds.
“When you have 16 projects for rehabilitation, please have a time frame in mind. You will not get additional funds from the Central government if you don’t have a completion date,” Justice Nambiar remarked.
The Court was hearing a suo motu case monitoring relief and rehabilitation efforts in Wayanad following last year’s devastating landslides.
Centre’s Deadline and State’s Response
During the hearing, Advocate General Gopalakrishna Kurup informed the Court that the State had sought financial assistance under a special scheme offering an interest-free loan for 50 years. However, a Central government letter dated February 11 required all rehabilitation projects under this scheme to be completed by March 31, 2025.
The Bench questioned what steps the State had taken to communicate the impracticality of this deadline. In response, the Advocate General stated that a letter had been prepared to highlight the difficulties in meeting the deadline, arguing that the Centre could not impose such rigid time constraints for financial assistance.
However, the Court insisted that the State must have a structured timeline for efficient rehabilitation and urged officials to seek further clarification on expenditure plans and project schedules.
Debris Removal and Monsoon Preparations
Amicus curiae Ranjith Thampan raised concerns about the removal of debris from landslide-affected areas and water bodies.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) informed the Court that assessing the volume of debris was a priority. A material processing unit would be set up to sort and recover reusable materials for river training, township construction, road restoration, and land infilling. It was also stated that debris removal in human habitation areas would be prioritised.
Directing the government to complete river training work before the monsoon, the Court instructed officials to submit a structured timetable and progress report before the next hearing on March 3.
