Kerala HC Directs To Give Wide Publicity To Flood Benefit Scheme Of Govt [Read Order]

With the objective of making maximum persons aware of the flood benefit scheme mooted by the Kerala Government, the High Court of Kerala has directed that the government should give wide publicity about the scheme.

On November 30, the Additional Advocate General Ranjith Thampan informed the Court that the final draft of notice containing details of relief measures announced for the benefit of flood victims was ready for publication and handed over the same to the Division Bench of Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice A K Jayasankaran Nambiar .

During previous postings of the matter, the bench had interacted with the counsel of Kerala Regional Committee of Indian Newspaper Society to ascertain the willingness of its members to publish the notice. In response, the Court was informed of the resolution taken by the Society on November 15 to publish the details in parts over a period of two weeks in a cost effective manner. The Court ordered that it should be ensured that publication is complete within a period of two weeks. Nevertheless, the Court felt it was appropriate that the notice was published in its entirety on a single day in a major vernacular daily.

"While we appreciate the kind gesture of the members of the Society, we feel that  apart from the said steps by the member of the Society, it would be beneficial for the public if the notice finalised by the Government is also published in its entirety, on a single day, in a vernacular newspaper having wide circulation in the State of Kerala", observed the Court.

Therefore,  the Division Bench of ordered that the Government should publish the entire final notice on a single day in a major daily. The Court added that the publication should be made within two weeks either in Malayala Manorama or Mathrubhumi daily in all their editions in state.

The notice should be affixed for public view in front of the offices of local authorities, and also village and taluk offices. The notice should also be uploaded in the website of state government and state disaster management authority.

The Kerala State Legal Services Authority has been directed to obtain the copies of the notice for circulation amongst public through its district and taluk offices.

Read Order