Fundamental rights of people hit by floods: CJI RM Lodha

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre to urgently send doctors, medicines, food and fuel from the rest of the country to flood-ravaged parts of Jammu and Kashmir, commenting adversely on the inadequacy of the steps taken so far to provide succor to the affected people. Some 5 million people have been affected in the floods, as per a conservative estimate.

“The relief supplied so far is grossly inadequate. The process underway has to be speeded up,” CJI RM Lodha said. “Article 21 of rights of millions, which includes the right to life and dignity, has been affected. Their miseries have to be mitigated even though they were because of a natural disaster.” Heads and hands must come together,” the CJI exhorted.

He, however, denied a plea made in a plea to allow UN agencies and sundry other foreign agencies to come in and help. “We are a huge nation with in-built strength. We are capable of dealing with the situation,” the CJI said. He urged the Centre and the state government to ensure that the supply chain of food, fuel and water continued uninterrupted to the state.