Special financial aid for landslide tragedy; decision to be taken this month itself, Centre informs HC 

KOCHI: The Centre has informed the Kerala High Court that a decision would be taken on things including financial aid in connection with the Mundakkai-Chooralmada landslide tragedy. The Centre clarified that the report of the central team that visited the disaster-hit areas is in the possession of the high-powered committee examining these matters and that they have not met yet.

The Centre today reiterated its stand that there is sufficient money in the state disaster response fund. The matter was considered by a bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and K V Jayakumar while the Centre's stand on the landslide disaster was being discussed.

The state government today presented the letter sent by Minister of State for Home Nityananda Rai to Kerala's special representative K V Thomas in the court over central assistance. The state government clarified that one reading this letter, will understand that financial assistance will not be given. However, the court pointed out that they haven’t said that financial aid will not be given.

The court later sough the opinion of the central government in taking a decision on this issue as soon as possible. The court also pointed out that rehabilitation should be completed. The court opined that if we want to know about things like writing off the loans of the disaster victims, it should be clarified in which category the disaster is included.