Road safety: Comprehensive disaster management plan within three months; Centre assures High Court

KOCHI: The central government has informed the high court that the comprehensive disaster management plan for the safety of the country's roads and control of road accidents will be implemented within three months. The report submitted by the centre also states that it will be implemented in two sub-plans - highway safety and road accidents.

The High Court had expressed concern about the safety of national highways while considering the petitions related to the rehabilitation of Wayanad. The bench comprising Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice PM Manoj directed that the project be implemented within the stipulated time.

The meeting held at the end of May decided to finalise the draft plan prepared by the Union Ministry of Road Transport. The centre also announced that the plan will be notified after this.

Loan waiver: Time sought again

The Centre has again sought time to decide on the High Court's suggestion to consider the waiver of bank loans of Wayanad landslide victims. The court will consider the matter again on the 25th.

Additional Solicitor General AR. L. Sundaresan said that discussions are ongoing between the ministries and a decision will be taken within two weeks. The Centre had earlier said that loans could not be waived off as the provisions in this regard have been removed from the National Disaster Management Act. Criticising this, the court had asked whether the government could not use its special powers.

The court had allowed the Kerala government to utilise Rs 120 crore from the disaster management fund. The amicus curiae suggested seeking a report from the government on how the amount was utilised. The government said it would submit a detailed report.