KOCHI: The High Court has directed the central government to be open minded in granting financial assistance in the Wayanad disaster. The court also directed the state government to prepare and submit an account of the expenditure.

The Division Bench comprising Justice Dr AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice S Eswaran has directed to submit a certificate certified by the Revenue Principal Secretary regarding the utilization of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). The amount spent so far and the amount required must be specified. The court also said that this report should be forwarded to the Centre and the possibility of additional financial assistance should be sought.

Central and state governments are trying to show that they are not at fault. A solution is needed in this regard. The state should report the figures accurately. The central government should try to take action without getting bogged down in terms of allocating money from the National Disaster Response Fund. Actions should be expedited.

Advocate General K Gopalakrishna Kurup said that while asking for more money, the Centre is asking to spend the amount in the SDRF. It was also pointed out that the amount in SDRF is only on paper. The central condition of releasing Rs 153,467 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) as additional assistance only if 50 per cent of the amount in the SDRF is spent on Mundakai-Churalmala rehabilitation is not feasible. The court asked who should the state approach other than the Center in emergency situations like this.

638.97 crore liability

When the memorandum was submitted to the Center seeking additional funding, the SDRF had Rs 588.83 crore. This reached 782.99 crore as of October 1, including the share of central and state governments. This amount is the total calamity-related fund of the state.

At present the response fund is Rs 700.5 crore. The liability is 638.97 crores. Only 61.53 crores are left in case of future calamities.

Wayanad township needs 90 hectares of land.

2221 crore has been asked from the Center for rehabilitation of the affected and other needs.

Chief Minister's relief fund received Rs 682 crore for Wayanad.