Telangana Floods: High Court Asks State To Provide Relief To Victims, Take Steps To Prevent Spread Of Diseases

The Telangana High Court has asked the State to file a better report on measures taken to help and rehabilitate victims of floods caused by excessive rains in the state in the past few weeks.

“Let us know when essential facilities such as electricity will be restored, and set up camps for counselling for loss due to floods. It is understood that floods are receding, so epidemic diseases cannot be ruled out. Follow Section 2 of the Epidemic Disease Act 1897, and ensure safety and well-being of all those affected. Needless to say State government shall provide relief to all 14216 flood victims, and identify each one of them. Issue a helpline (disaster relief) as a first step measure,” the court said.

The court made these observations during the hearing of Public Interest Litigation instituted in 2020 by Dr. Cheruku Sudhakar and Kabbaka Shravan Kumar, a social worker, for compensation of victims of floods and fires. Advocate Prabhakar Chikkudu, representing the petitioners, had earlier filed an interlocutory application submitting that scope of PIL may be extended to all those affected by floods and rise in levels of dams. The courts had asked the State to file a report showing the extent of damage.

The division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice T. Vinod Kumar, while addressing the State, said, “This is not adversarial litigation. Think about long term measures and stop further litigation.”

When the petitioners submitted that State authorities had received warning from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) about heavy rainfalls but there was inaction, the court observed: “We can’t say if you acted diligently. But you can take it as an example for what you can avoid in the future.”

In the report on the extent of destruction from July 19 to July 27, the court was told that 41 people have died due to heavy rains resulting in floods in 10 districts. While 813 animals, mostly cattle, have drowned, over 1 lakh acres of agricultural land has got destroyed. 190 irrigation tanks were contaminated affecting 57688 farmers, the State said.

The court was also told that 240 houses were damaged and 643 houses were partially damaged. 168 roads were damaged and electricity has been cut in many low lying villages, according to the State. About 14200 individuals were either affected or displaced by the floods, the government said.

Special Government Pleader and Senior Counsel Harinder Pershad submitted that the State and Central authorities are working tirelessly, day-in-and-day-out to help individuals affected by the floods. Pershed said over 162 shelter camps have been set up in the villages, where affected people have access to clean water, sanitation, medicine and hygienic staying conditions. 33 medical camps were also set up, the counsel said. 

25 boats and helicopters were deployed to conduct rescue operations and also to provide clean water and food, the court was told. It was also informed that 80 tourists were rescued and the Collectors of various villages are making reports and assessing damage on the ground level. The State had further declared a holiday for 4 days to encourage individuals to stay home, the court was told.

After hearing the contentions put forward by the State the Bench ordered: “We find that there is no mention with regard to deaths in Jayashankar District. Similarly, no mention about the restoration of essential facilities and search and recovery operations and the report is silent about psychological support. State government is directed to add these things in the report."