SC issues notice to Centre, States on disaster management

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to Uttarakhand and six other states for their alleged failure in implementing Disaster Management Act in order to handle natural catastrophe.

A bench headed by Justice A K Patnaik sought response from the Centre, the states and the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands on a PIL alleging that governments have failed to implement in true spirit the act which was passed in 2005.

The six other states issued notice are Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Gujarat.

Referring to the natural calamity in Uttarakhand, the petitioner, advocate Gaurav Bansal, alleged that casualties would have been less had the state government implemented the provision of the act.

"Nation witnessed the catastrophe that struck upon Uttarakhand and which resulted into numerous deaths and tragedies. It is respectfully submitted that in order to fight with such kind of catastrophe, the Parliament, in the year 2005, enacted the Disaster Management Act.

"However, it sounds pathetic that even after eight years of the act, the Centre and the various state governments have failed to implement its provisions in true letter and spirit," he said.

He said that not only Uttarakhand but also Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Gujarat and Andaman & Nicobar Islands have failed to implement the provisions of the Act.

He also said that there is no uniform policy in the country in case of granting ex-gratia compensation to the victims of disaster.